Best wines for classic barbecue dishes

They can match a multitude of foods, are easy to find, in-expensive, can be chilled yet with enough punch to push through any food that has been above the coals for a length of time. Decanter.com looks at the best wines for a summer barbecue.

Wine plays a central and important part in rounding off the perfect barbecue, but are all too often served incorrectly or with completely the wrong food – you should count yourself lucky if you have escaped holding a plate with a burnt item resembling meat holding a plastic cup of warm Chardonnay.

Here are some of the top matches for classic barbecue dishes. For ease of use, we’ve overlooked the uses of marinades and sauces.

• Steak – Malbec, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel
• Burgers – Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Côtes du Rhone.
• Sausages – Beer, Malbec, Southern French, Tempranillo
• Chicken – Warmer climate Chardonnay
• Pork Chops – Cider, Valpolicella, Barbera, New World Pinot Noir, dry rosé, Riesling
• Salmon – Rosé Champagne or Cava, New World Pinot Noir, Gamay, dry rosé, New World Riesling, Pinot Gris
• Halloumi – Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Chenin Blanc, Chablis, Friulano, Verdejo, Assyrtiko, New World Riesling, dry rosé, Prosecco

A cooler red offset against piping hot, flamed meat, is the only way to serve wine at a barbecue. And avoid plastic cups if possible.