The 10 best wines for a summer barbecue

The days when ‘barbecue’ meant a lukewarm beer, bun and burger are long gone. We’re putting more effort than ever into our outdoor dining – from whipping up zingy marinades with ingredients you’d barely heard of five years ago to diligently waiting for that perfect halloumi char.

All this extra effort on the food front surely warrants some attention to your drinks choices, too. Here are the ten best wines to whip out for a summer barbecue – and the foods to pair with them.

A Growers Touch Durif 2020

Wickhams, £12.20 (or £10.98 when buying six bottles)

This punchy red wine has bags of fruit and touches of spice, so it pairs perfectly with equally punchy BBQ food (think beef brisket, sticky ribs or spicy sausages such as chorizo). It is made from 100 per cent Durif grapes (also known as Petite Sirah), famous for rich blueberry, blackberry and chocolate notes. The wine spent a short amount of time in oak barrels, helping it to pick up on the smoked woodiness of the barbecue.