16th April 2026 | Pairings & Recipes | 4 minute read
The best time of the year has officially arrived, BBQ season! With the May bank holiday weekends fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to refill your wine rack with the ultimate partners for your flame-grilled favourites. Today, we’re diving into the best BBQ food and wine pairings.
As soon as the sun starts to shine, us Brits fire up that barbecue at every opportunity. And if there’s one thing that goes hand-in-hand with delicious flame-grilled foods and gatherings with friends, it’s got to be wine. Whether you’re searching for full-bodied drops to complement grilled meats, or something refreshing to pair with starters and sides, finding the right bottle can be overwhelming.
So, we’re here to give you a helping hand. From burgers and hot dogs to grilled halloumi and ribs, our Buying Director, Sophie Lord, brings you her top-notch recommendations for the season so you can really wow your guests.
The fan-favourite of every BBQ season! When you’re thinking about pairings for char-grilled beef burgers, the bolder the flavours, the better. Try our Perez Cruz Winemakers Selection: a Cabernet Sauvignon blend with structured tannins that will cut through the fat of beef burgers beautifully. Its dark fruit flavours and a hint of spice mirror the flavour profile of juicy burgers, making every bite even better.
If you prefer to devour a grilled hot dog rather than a juicy char-grilled burger, a light and fresh Pinot Noir could be your new best friend. Our El Sabio Pinot Noir from the Valle Central of Chile is a lighter style of red wine, bursting with sweet cherry charm and a soft, round finish. This flavour profile makes a great match for the sweetness and grilled flavours of a well-seasoned hot dog.
Rosé wine is an all-round summer speciality, served lightly chilled and sipped in the sunshine. And it makes the ultimate partner for the crowd-pleasing side dish, grilled halloumi. Our Black Pig Rosé, produced in South-Eastern Australia, is a vibrant, refreshing option for your guests. With beautiful, bright cherry-red fruit flavours, this wine will complement your halloumi side dish excellently.
Or, if you’re serving up a fresh side salad to accompany your grilled meat options, our Tierra Del Corazon Casablanca Valley Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice! With notes of green pepper, nettle leaf and white peach, this style of wine echoes the ingredients of a summer salad, making it a superb choice to enjoy alongside it.
A classic BBQ menu wouldn’t be complete without smoky BBQ ribs. Delightfully messy, but utterly delicious! If you’re a lover of Italian reds with rich and bold flavours, our Depasso Nero d’Avola Leggermente Appassito is a great partner for this dish. Produced using the appassimento method to produce flavours of bramble fruit, liquorice, raisin and sweet spice, it matches the smoky, tangy flavours of BBQ ribs whilst standing up to the richness too.
