The problem with choosing wine for a barbecue is that it involves a set of competing requirements. It needs to hold its own against the char and smoke. It should be refreshing in warm weather. It should not demand attention or careful matching, because you are outside with friends and not running a restaurant. And it needs to be good enough that it does not feel like an afterthought, because the wine is part of the occasion.
These six bottles meet all of those conditions. They span a range of styles and price points, and together they cover most of what a summer grill will throw at them.
Bodegas Muga, Rioja Rosado 2023 - around £18
Spanish rose is underrated as a category and Muga's version from Rioja is a very good example of why. Made primarily from Garnacha and Viura, it has more colour and more fruit than most Provence roses, which makes it better suited to food with real flavour. Grilled chicken thighs, chorizo, and spiced lamb all work well. It is generous and approachable, and the price makes buying two bottles feel sensible rather than extravagant.
Domaine des Tourelles, Viognier, Bekaa Valley 2022 - around £22
Lebanese white wine is one of the quiet success stories of the past decade. Tourelles has been making wine in the Bekaa Valley for over 150 years and their Viognier is a standout - aromatic, full-bodied, and rich with peach and apricot, but balanced by a freshness that stops it feeling heavy. With grilled prawns, fish skewers, or halloumi, it is excellent. Worth knowing about, and worth buying more than one bottle of.
Clos de los Siete, Mendoza 2021 - around £18
This Argentine blend, assembled by Michel Rolland and a group of French investors who bought land in Mendoza's Valle de Uco, is one of the great overdeliverers at the price. Malbec leads, with Merlot and Syrah alongside, and the result is deep-coloured and plush, with the kind of dark berry fruit that is made for grilled red meat. Serve it slightly cool for outdoor drinking and it will hold its freshness through a long afternoon. For a whole rack of ribs or a butterflied leg of lamb, this is the bottle.
Yering Station, Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley 2022 - around £28
A lighter red for those who prefer elegance to power at the grill. Yering Station's Pinot Noir from Victoria's Yarra Valley is fragrant and fine-boned, with enough freshness to serve slightly cooled. It is a natural with salmon, duck, or mushroom-based dishes, and it appeals to the group who would rather not pour heavy reds in the afternoon. It also rewards slower drinking, which is what outdoor eating generally demands.
Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley 2017 - around £35
Musar is a wine that divides people and that is one of the reasons to love it. Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignan, aged for seven years before release, it has a quality that is hard to describe precisely - earthy and savoury and complex in a way that does not feel like any other wine in the world. It needs decanting, probably two hours, and it should be served at a proper cellar temperature rather than dragged straight from a hot car boot. With grilled lamb it is remarkable. A weekend barbecue that opens a bottle of Musar is a better barbecue for it.
Nyetimber, Classic Cuvee, Sussex NV - around £38
Start with this, or finish with it. Nyetimber's flagship sparkling wine is one of England's finest, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grown on chalk soils in the South Downs. It is finer than much Champagne at twice the price, and it handles a summer afternoon beautifully - refreshing, precise, and just celebratory enough to mark the occasion. A barbecue that begins with a glass of this is setting its intentions correctly.