7 pairings
Syrah
Côte de boeuf charcoal-grilled with Maghani: Tobacco and dark fruit pair with char-grilled fat.
The short answer
Across 35 barbecue pairings on 34 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Syrah (7), Grenache (5), Xinomavro (5) and Cabernet Sauvignon (4). For example, Maghani from Languedoc with côte de boeuf charcoal-grilled: Tobacco and dark fruit pair with char-grilled fat.
By style: red 32, sparkling 2, orange 1 of the 35 pairings.
The wines that turn up most: Naoussa, DO Bierzo, DOC Dão, Arbois, PGI Peloponnese, Toscana.
The best grapes for barbecue
5 pairings
Grenache
Côte de boeuf charcoal-grilled with Castel Fossibus: Fine-grained tannin handles charred fat; cedar mirrors the grill.
5 pairings
Xinomavro
Charcoal-grilled lamb with Ramnista: The wine's firm, dense tannin has enough grip to match char and fat without being flattened.
4 pairings
Cabernet Sauvignon
Florentine T-bone, charcoal-grilled with Solaia: The wine's volume of fruit and oak demand a high-impact protein.
4 pairings
Mencía
Charcoal-grilled beef with El Cepón: The charcoal note in the wine meets the fire on the plate.
3 pairings
Mourvedre
Côte de boeuf charcoal-grilled with Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvée Rouge: Char and char-grilled fat meet the wine's structure and tobacco depth.
3 pairings
Carignan
Barbecued lamb with Baron de Ley Siete Vinas Tinto Reserva: The producer suggests BBQ.
2 pairings
Poulsard
Barbecue with La Pinte Poulsard Pinte Bien: Listed by the producer alongside salads and aperitif drinking.
Bottles to pour with barbecue
The best-rated pairings, one per producer and no more than two from any one region, so the list travels.
Florentine T-bone, charcoal-grilled
The wine's volume of fruit and oak demand a high-impact protein.
Côte de boeuf charcoal-grilled
Tobacco and dark fruit pair with char-grilled fat.
Charcoal-grilled beef
The charcoal note in the wine meets the fire on the plate.
Charcoal-grilled lamb
The wine's firm, dense tannin has enough grip to match char and fat without being flattened.
Charcoal-grilled ribeye
Cabernet's cedar finds the char; Sangiovese acid cuts the marbling.
Mtsvadi, Kakhetian vine-cutting barbecue
Charred pork fat needs Saperavi's tannin and acidity to reset the palate between skewers.
Barbecued meat
The estate specifically recommends barbecue, which the firm tannin supports.
Barbecued meats
Named by Palivou; the Syrah portion's pepper and liquorice suit smoke.
Barbecued quail
Char and game meat suit a Pinot-dominant, full-bodied rose.
Barbecued vegetables with romesco
No oak means the fruit sits straight against smoke and nuts.
Barbecue
Listed by the producer alongside salads and aperitif drinking.
Barbecued lamb
The producer suggests BBQ.
Taste the pairing: food and wine in Languedoc
Food and wine tastings you can book in Languedoc, one of the regions whose bottles our editors pour with barbecue.
From Montpellier: Wine Tour & Fresh Oysters at Thau Lagoon
In a typically Mediterranean landscape, discover two of the region’s greatest treasures on this unforgettable half-day experience combining fine wines, fresh oysters, ...
tasting workshop of 6 to 8 wines with charcuterie chocolate cheese
Tasting commented by the winemaker on the harvest, notion of terroir, grape varieties, aromatic, food / wine pairings the wines are natural without sulphites without inputs
Rivaltes, Secrets of the Terroir and Tasting of Unique Wines!
Discover the terroir of Rivesaltes with Nicolas, former cellar master and passionate Guide. In a small group of up to 8 people, this half-day tour takes you to the hea...
Food and wine tastings in Languedoc (7) · Wine tastings and winery visits in Languedoc (25) · Food tours in Languedoc (6) · Wine tours and day trips in Languedoc (18) · All wine and food experiences
pairings by region
- Bierzo: 6 pairings, Bierzo food and wine pairing
- Naoussa: 5 pairings, Naoussa food and wine pairing
- Dão: 4 pairings, Dão food and wine pairing
- Languedoc: 3 pairings, Languedoc food and wine pairing
- Jura: 2 pairings, Jura food and wine pairing
- Kakheti: 2 pairings, Kakheti food and wine pairing
- Nemea: 2 pairings, Nemea food and wine pairing
- Priorat: 2 pairings, Priorat food and wine pairing
- Sussex: 2 pairings, Sussex food and wine pairing
- Tuscany: 2 pairings, Tuscany food and wine pairing
- Burgenland: 1 pairing, Burgenland food and wine pairing
- Istria: 1 pairing, Istria food and wine pairing
Wine with barbecue, FAQ
What wine goes with barbecue?
Across 35 barbecue pairings on 34 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Syrah (7), Grenache (5), Xinomavro (5) and Cabernet Sauvignon (4). For example, Maghani from Languedoc with côte de boeuf charcoal-grilled: Tobacco and dark fruit pair with char-grilled fat.
Red or white wine with barbecue?
Most often red: of the 35 barbecue pairings, the split by style is red 91%, sparkling 6% and orange 3%. The bottles below show which of each work and why.
Which wine regions are best with barbecue?
The regions with the most barbecue pairings on our bottle pages are Bierzo, Naoussa and Dão.