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.
Tarapacá - Carménère Reserva 2022
The emblematic grape variety of Chile in a vintage that is both fleshy and intense.
Torres - Pago del Cielo Celeste Reserva 2018
The flagship of the estate, combining roundness and aromatic richness
Silver Oak - Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
A legendary Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley
Bousquet - Gran Malbec 2024
An assembled Malbec, dense and complex, from the Gualtallary highlands
Goldeneye - Pinot Noir 2019
A precise and complex Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley
Renzo Masi - Chianti Riserva 2022
A magnificent Chianti with nuances of spices and wild fruits.
Álvaro Palacios - Camins del Priorat 2023
A sophisticated blend made by Álvaro Palacios, surely the most talented winemaker in Spain.
Niepoort - Redoma Branco 2019
Intense, mineral and precise, this white offers all the guarantees of a great vintage.
Hammeken Cellars - Tosalet Vieilles Vignes 2013
A concentrate of fruits and spices for power lovers!
Te Mata Estate - Sauvignon Blanc 2022
With its exotic notes and freshness, this New Zealand Sauvignon is a delight.
Les Maîtres Vignerons de Saint-Tropez - Saint Roch des Vignes Côtes de Provence 2024
Small red fruit and lemon blossom: Côtes de Provence rosé in a classic register.
Matías Riccitelli - Old Vine From Patagonia Chenin Blanc 2024
A high-flying Patagonian wine, made from old Chenin Blanc vines
Panos Sarris - V for Vostilidi 2022
The sun of Greece united in this vintage full of freshness!
Matías Riccitelli - Old Vine From Patagonia Torrontés 2024
A high-end Patagonian wine, made from old Torrontes vines
Doña Paula - Estate Bue Edition 2022
An astonishing blend of Pinot Noir, Malbec and Bonarda
460 Casina Bric - Mesdì Bianco
A blend of 2 Piedmontese grape varieties, Arneis and Favorita
Quinta dos Roques - Encruzado 2020
An elegant white wine from the Dão: crisp, fresh and finely chiselled
Stellenrust - Kleine Rust Red 2019
An astonishing blend of Pinotage and Syrah, with flavors of red fruits and smoky spices
Joostenberg - Chenin Blanc 2019
A South African Chenin blanc with notes of white fruit and the chalky character typical of the Paarl vineyards
Herdade Do Mouchao - Dom Rafael 2019
Made from foot-crushed grapes, this cuvée embodies intensity, complexity and pleasure!
Mount Pleasant - Elizabeth 2016
An Australian Sémillon emblematic of its region: finesse, acidity and minerality are essential.
Barberani - Castagnolo 2021
This wine will go perfectly with seafood starters, grilled fish and white meats. It will also be excellent as an aperitif!
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.