What wine goes with grilled vegetables? Our merchant's picks
389 wines to serve with grilled vegetablesWith grilled vegetables, serve a supple, fruity red (Grenache, Syrah, Montepulciano) or a sunny white with ripe fruit, such as a Chenin Blanc or a Falanghina. Grilling brings smoky notes and caramelised sweetness: the wine answers with its fruit and lively acidity.
Peppers, courgettes and aubergines love reds from Italy and Greece. Roasted root vegetables call for a fuller white, from South Africa or Portugal. For a summer sharing board, a fresh rosé also works wonders. Find our pointers in the guide wine and barbecue.
Diemersfontein - Thokozani Shiraz 2023
A full and voluptuous red wine with flavors of black fruits and spices
Cantina Cellaro - Lumà Grillo 2025
A Sicilian wine with delicate flavors of Grillo, a local white grape variety
Cono Sur - Bicicleta Carménère 2023
A delicious and velvety Carménère which presents aromas of red fruits perfectly combined with spicy notes.
460 Casina Bric - Mesdì Rosso
A beautiful expression of Nebbiolo, the flagship grape variety of Piedmont
Thymiopoulos - Alta Naoussa 2024
A Xinomavro of altitude, all in finesse and elegance
Gaia - Notios White 2022
The sun of Greece united in this vintage full of freshness!
Zoumberakis - Vidiano Nature 2025
A fresh and tasty wine made from Vidiano, a great white grape variety from Crete
Niepoort - Drink Me 2022
A typical vintage from the Douro Valley by Dirk Niepoort!
Caselles & Guillaume Letang - Turno de Noche 2023
A distinguished Malbec grown at an altitude of over 1000 meters
Castellucci Miano - Nero d'Avola 2024
Magnificent Nero d'Avola, all round and full of fruit. Buonissimo!
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - El Viejo del Valle 2024
An elegant and gourmet Pinot Noir with flavors of wild red fruits
Kautz Family - The Big Top Zinfandel 2023
A charming and spicy Californian zinfandel
L.A. Cetto - Petite Sirah 2021
Complex and intense red wine reflecting a remarkable concentration of fruits and spices.
San Marzano - Primitivo Puglia 2024
An intense and generous Primitivo with flavors of black fruits
D'Arenberg - The Stump Jump White Blend 2025
A superb blend of 4 white grape varieties which results in an aromatic vintage full of freshness
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Las Cruces Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A crisp and intense Sauvignon Blanc, from the cool terroirs of Chile
460 Casina Bric - Nebbiolo d'Alba Spumante "Cuvée 970" Brut Rosé 2021
A fine and elegant sparkling wine based on Nebbiolo
Bondar - Violet Hour Shiraz 2021
A beautiful interpretation of Syrah that expresses finesse and freshness.
Thymiopoulos - Terre et Ciel 2024
The flagship of the Thymiopoulos estate, one of the greatest wines of Naoussa
L.A. Cetto - Zinfandel 2023
A supple and fleshy red wine with flavors of jammy red fruits.
Vigneti del Vulture - Pipoli Aglianico del Vulture 2024
A 100% Aglianico wine: an ancient grape variety from the Basilicata region
Kautz Family - Burlesque Zinfandel 2020
A charming and spicy Californian zinfandel
Wildeberg & JD Rossouw - The Capeography Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A clean and refreshing Sauvignon from the Elgin region
Maturana - Lucas Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
A Cabernet Sauvignon of great elegance, racy and refined.
Which wine for which grilled vegetables?
The colour and texture of the vegetable guide the choice. Here are our pointers for the most common dishes.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled peppers marinated red peppers, pepper stew | Supple red: Grenache, Syrah, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo | The red fruit of the wine embraces the sweetness of the softened pepper. |
| Grilled aubergines miso aubergine, smoked aubergine caviar | Fleshy red: Primitivo, Negroamaro from Puglia | The melting, smoky flesh calls for a round wine with ripe tannins. |
| Grilled courgettes and fennel courgettes à la plancha, fennel with lemon | Lively white: Sauvignon Blanc, Falanghina, Greek white | A taut acidity refreshes these delicate vegetables and their herbs. |
| Roasted root vegetables carrots, parsnips, baked sweet potato | Full-bodied white: South African Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay | The richness of the wine answers the caramelised sweetness of the roots. |
| Grilled mushrooms ceps, barbecued portobellos | Fine red: Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo | The earthy aromas of the wine extend the forest floor flavour. |
| Barbecued vegetable skewers onion, tomato, pepper, halloumi | Rosé with character or fruity red: Pinotage, Italian rosé | A fruity, fresh wine follows the variety of flavours on the skewer. |
| Escalivada and Mediterranean vegetables escalivada, grilled ratatouille, vegetables in olive oil | Red from Spain or Portugal: Tempranillo, Douro blends | The sweet spices of the wine go well with olive oil and herbs. |
A drizzle of balsamic vinegar or a pesto points to a fresher, livelier wine.
Fruit before power
Our take on grilled vegetables: favour fruit and freshness over oaky power. The grill concentrates the sugars and leaves a smoky touch. A juicy red such as the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Fantini or the Primitivo from Vineka goes naturally with this richness and keeps the vegetables in the foreground. Served slightly chilled, it gains even more brightness.
For white, look to southern Italy and South Africa. The Beneventano Falanghina from Vesevo brings notes of citrus and almond that lift courgettes and fennel. A fuller South African Chenin Blanc welcomes roasted root vegetables and tahini sauces. For very smoky dishes, The Original Pinotage from Diemersfontein, with its mocha notes, creates a surprising echo with charred aubergine.
Three pairings to try
Pairing 1. Oven-roasted peppers and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, for a fruity, generous duo.
Pairing 2. Grilled fennel with lemon and Falanghina, a meeting of citrus and aniseed.
Pairing 3. Smoked aubergine caviar and South African Pinotage, to play up the smokiness.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and grilled vegetables
What red wine goes with grilled vegetables?
Choose a supple, fruity red with mellow tannins: Grenache, Syrah, Montepulciano or Primitivo. These grape varieties answer the caramelised sweetness of peppers and aubergines. Serve it slightly chilled, at around 15 °C, to keep some zing against the smoky notes. Reds from Italy and Spain are our first recommendations.
White or red wine with grilled vegetables?
Both work: it all depends on the vegetable. Red, fleshy vegetables (pepper, aubergine, tomato) lean towards a fruity red. Delicate green vegetables (courgette, fennel, asparagus) prefer a lively white such as a Sauvignon Blanc. Roasted root vegetables go very well with a full-bodied white, Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay.
What wine to serve with barbecued vegetable skewers?
A rosé with character or a light, fruity red is ideal with barbecued vegetable skewers. The fruit of the wine follows the variety of flavours, from grilled onion to softened tomato. If the skewer includes halloumi, a fresh white from southern Italy brings a lovely saline tension.
What wine goes with ratatouille or escalivada?
A Mediterranean red with aromas of herbs and sweet spices goes perfectly with ratatouille and escalivada: Grenache, Tempranillo or a red from Portugal. Olive oil and herbes de Provence find an echo in these sun-drenched wines. In summer, a structured rosé nicely takes over.
What wine goes with grilled mushrooms?
Pinot Noir is the star pairing for grilled mushrooms. Its forest floor aromas and silky texture extend the earthy flavour of ceps or portobellos. For a more intense version, with garlic and parsley, a Nebbiolo from Piedmont brings depth and lovely freshness.
At what temperature should wine be served with grilled vegetables?
Serve reds between 14 and 16 °C and whites between 9 and 11 °C. A slightly chilled red keeps its bright fruit against the heat of the grill. Full-bodied whites, such as Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay, show best at around 11 °C. For a rosé, aim for 8 to 10 °C.