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The sun has not really shown its face much in the UK in summer 2024. But things are finally warming up so it’s time to stoke up the barbecue and invite friends round for a long-awaited catch-up. Rather than the relaxed affairs that they should be, barbecues can sometimes be hard work for the hosts especially if you are trying to prepare something a little out of the ordinary and for a large number of guests. So to give you one less thing to worry about and to save you time I’ve come up with some tips on the best wines to serve with BBQ food.
Plus, at the special request of one customer, I’m republishing my easy, time-saving but delicious spicy lamb recipe that you can leave on the heat without too much intervention to give you time to chat with your guests – and to enjoy a nice glass of wine.
Some foods can be difficult to match with wine and smoky or char-grilled flavours mean that barbecued dishes fit that category. In addition we have a tendency to marinate foods for the BBQ in all sorts of sauces and spices, never mind the dressings and dips on the side that we tend to eat with our barbecued meat, fish and vegetables, so there are many flavours on the plate fighting for the attention of your tastebuds. I’m not talking about finding the perfect wine match for BBQs as that would be impossible but I’m making a number of suggestions of wines that won’t be hidden behind the smoke, (hopefully!) gentle charring and the myriad of food flavours.
So in general…
barbecued food requires wines with intensity so that the wine is not overwhelmed.
Let’s take a look at some suggestions for red, white and rosé wines that would work well with barbecued food.
Good-all-rounder red wines for the barbecue are
Wines produced from either of these grapes usually have the body, complexity, sweet fruit and spice to cope with highly flavoured food.
Or for something similar but less known, why not try a Carmenère from Chile? Make sure this style of wine is not too tannic though as it might clash with fatty meats and sauces.
And if you prefer a lighter red wine in the summer, the fruity freshness of a cru Beaujolais like Juliénas or Fleurie would help counter any searing and cut through any fat in the meats. Plus lighter reds like Beaujolais would be better than heavier, more tannic reds, with fish and plant-based dishes.
You could also serve the Beaujolais slightly chilled – and if it is a hot day, keep all wines, red, white and rosé, out of the sunshine and heat to keep them fresh. You can find out more about this lovely style of wine in my Beaujolais blogpost.
Many people prefer to drink chilled white wine at a barbecue party especially if the weather is warm and are often tempted by the crispest, driest white wines. However hot spicy rubs can however clash with the razor-sharp acidity of most crisp dry white wines. In order to match the intensity of flavours, others might choose an oaky Chardonnay but the buttery richness is not an ideal style for a sunny day and the oaky flavours can intensify if the wine is consumed with vinegary dressings or marinades.
The best white wines to drink at a barbecue therefore are somewhere in the middle of these two styles. Aromatic white wines that combine fresh crispness with intense fruity flavours make better bedfellows with barbecued food so try something like
Whichever you choose, keep the white wine chilled but not too cold otherwise you risk masking its lovely fruity flavours.
Rosé would make a good all-rounder wine to drink at your bbq. But, rather than the lighter (in colour and style) Provence rosés that most people prefer these days, try to find a rosé that has a bit more body and intensity produced from the Gamay or Pinot Noir grapes like this English rosé wine for example. This style of rosé would work especially well with barbecued vegetable dishes as the extra weight of the wine can handle the smoky food flavours whilst the crispness will allow the vegetable flavours to come through.
Alternatively consider serving a sparkling rosé wine or champagne.
To help you chill out at your barbecue this summer I am sharing with you one of my favourite recipes – it’s very easy, I promise.
I have adapted a fabulous River Cottage recipe for use on the barbecue – it makes a great change from standard barbecue fare. All credit to River Cottage for the original recipe:
I suggest one medium shoulder or leg of lamb (c. 2kg in weight) scored and with excess fat removed. You will need sufficient charcoal on the barbecue to keep the meat cooking for two to three hours.
The spice paste consists:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ cinnamon stick, broken up
1 tsp black peppercorns
A pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli powder
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Leaves from 2 large rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp olive oil
Crush the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, cinnamon and peppercorns (after dry-roasting if you have the time) and mix with the rest of the spice paste ingredients. Rub the spice paste all over the lamb shoulder. Grill the lamb on the hot barbecue for three minutes each side, taking care not to burn it.
Wrap the lamb in foil pouring a glass of water into the foil and cook for two hours by which time the meat should be falling off the bone. You may need to add another glass of water halfway through. Skim the excess fat off the juices and pour over the meat before serving. And that is it – easy, leaving you more time to spend with your guests.
My wine recommendations for this recipe would be:
So whether you’re stoking up the charcoals or switching on the gas-fired bbq, cooking spicy lamb, mackerel or burgers and chicken wings, make sure you have the right wines lined up to enjoy!
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