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.
Alheit Vineyards - Fire by Night 2023
A high-class Chenin blanc from old Swartland vines
Silver Oak - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
A legendary Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars - SLV 2020
The vintage that beat the most Bordeaux blind at the 1976 Judgment of Paris
Matías Riccitelli - Viñedos de Montaña Malbec 2018
A clean Malbec that reflects the elegance and power of the old vines of Mendoza
Delicato Wines & Alex Gittins - Shadow Point Pinot Noir 2019
A delicious and charming Pinot Noir from the Monterey Valley
Renzo Masi - Chianti 2024
A Chianti with charming and refined aromas.
Barco Del Corneta - Barco Del Corneta Verdejo 2021
A wine full of talent filtered by minimalism and the pure expression of the terroir.
La Rural - Trumpeter Petit Verdot 2021
A forgotten grape variety from Medoc, Petit Verdot demonstrates all its potential here.
Bodegas Tobia - Cuvée Tinto
A vintage full of fruit and sunshine to enjoy with friends!
Te Mata Estate - Chardonnay Estate Vineyards 2021
A Hawke's Bay Chardonnay that plays on creamy richness without losing its lemony tension.
Santa Rita - Floresta Carménère 2022
A Carménère from old vines in Apalta, fresh and juicy, floral and herbaceous, with no oak.
Greenwing - Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
A Cabernet from Washington State, sunny and juicy, between wild strawberry, plum and sweet spices.
Luna Sicana - Perricone Pizziferru 2019
An organic single-varietal Perricone, fermented with its own yeasts and aged in barrique, intense and unforgettable.
Luna Sicana - Fiano 2024
An organic Fiano from the Platani valley in Sicily, full and aromatic, with a saline freshness.
Campagnola - Piuma Valpolicella Ripasso 2019
A round and charming Valpolicella Ripasso
Goldeneye - Confluence Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
A world-class Pinot Noir from California's northernmost vineyards
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Sierra Grande Sauvignon Blanc 2021
A Sauvignon Blanc expressing the vibrant fruit of Chile's Central Valley combined with the elegance of its mountain terroir.
Gritsch - Grüner Veltliner cru Setzberg 2017
An elegant white with a perfect balance between tension and minerality
Karl Steininger - Grüner Veltliner «Grand Grü» Reserve 2018
A round, fine and complex white with intense flavors of yellow fruits
Alamos - Malbec 2020
A high-altitude, round and tasty Malbec with very good value for money!
Emiliana - Ecobalance Viognier 2019
A biodynamic Viognier, made with pure respect for the environment
Colterenzio - Classic Pinot Grigio 2018
A Pinot Gris from the far north of Italy, round, fresh and elegant!
Alfredo Maestro Tejero - A Dos Tiempos 2017
A timeless biodynamic wine made only with grapes, vines and healthy soils.
Moric - Hausmarke Rot 2017
Finesse and elegance will delight you in this surprising vintage from Moric.
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.