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.
Revancha - La Revancha Malbec 2020
A lacy Malbec, produced in the heart of the Uco valley, considered the best terroir in Mendoza
Groot Constantia - Gouverneurs Reserve Red 2019
A sophisticated Bordeaux blend with complexity worthy of a great vintage
Jasci - Montepulciano 2022
A concentrate of red fruits and sweet spices in this cuvée dedicated to pleasure.
Gaia - Notios Red 2019
A unique wine made from the indigenous Agiorgitiko grape variety and a hint of Syrah. Roundness and spices are there!
Fattoria di Basciano - Chianti Rufina 2024
A full-bodied Chianti combining complexity and freshness
Birichino - Besson Grenache 2023
A captivating wine from century-old Grenache vines.
Palacios Remondo - La Vendimia 2018
A Rioja wine with plenty of drinkability and deliciousness to guarantee immediate pleasure.
Bousquet - Pinot Noir Reserve 2024
An altitude Pinot Noir with notes of undergrowth and spices
Doña Paula - Estate Black Edition 2021
A beautiful red blend, from the highlands of Luján de Cuyo
Aneto - Branco Reserva 2023
An elegant, ample and distinguished white wine from the Douro Valley
Acústic Celler - Montsant Blanc 2019
A Catalan vintage made from old vines aged 40 to 80 years old
Crystallum - The Agnes 2024
A pure, elegant and balanced Chardonnay which once again demonstrates the great class of South African wines.
Wittmann - 100 Hügel 2023
A biodynamic riesling full of lightness and freshness straight from Germany
San Marzano - Primitivo di Manduria SUD 2023
A cuvée of fabulous structure and complexity, from the star region of Primitivo.
Castellucci Miano - Miano Catarrato 2024
A superb Silica white with exotic and mineral notes.
Ritual - Pinot Noir 2019
A vintage full of elegance and extreme finesse that we know from Burgundy Pinot Noirs.
Gilvesy - Martinus 2017
An organic white wine with a mineral, fresh and complex profile.
David & Nadia - Topography White 2020
A Chenin full of elegance with seductive mineral notes
Boutinot - El Infernillo Pinot Noir 2021
A Pinot noir from northern Chile, made with finesse and freshness
Van Volxem - Schiefer Riesling 2022
A vintage that will work wonders on your summer meals and seafood platters!
Peregrine Estate - Pinot noir 2015
A Pinot Noir that combines purity and elegance, concentration and length.
460 Casina Bric - Barolo Comune di Barolo 2014
A powerful Barolo deeply imbued with its high altitude terroir
Valenciso - Valenciso Blanco 2021
A wine combining texture, balance, minerality and elegance.
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.