What wine goes with BBQ?

Zinfandel is the classic BBQ wine because its jammy fruit and peppery spice match sweet, smoky sauces that make drier reds taste bitter.

Barbecue sauce is sweet, smoky and tangy, and sweetness is the thing most dry wines can't handle. Bone-dry reds taste sour and harsh next to it. You want a red with lots of ripe fruit and a little spice, and Zinfandel was basically invented for this.

4 bottles that actually work with bbq

• 1. Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel

  about $14

  Zinfandel · grocery and wine shops

  Ripe blackberry, black pepper and a bit of smoke. Ribs with a sticky sauce and this bottle is about as good as backyard food gets.

• 2. 19 Crimes Red Blend

  about $12

  Red blend · nearly everywhere

  Smooth, jammy and a little sweet. Not complicated, but that soft, ripe fruit is exactly what sweet barbecue sauce needs.

• 3. Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon

  about $25

  Cabernet Sauvignon · grocery and wine shops

  For brisket. Rich, fatty beef can take a polished Cabernet, and this one is plush enough not to fight the smoke.

• 4. Riunite Lambrusco

  about $8

  Lambrusco · grocery stores

  Cold, fizzy and slightly sweet. With pulled pork and a vinegary sauce on a hot day, it is unbeatable for eight dollars.

Depends how you are cooking it

Pork ribs

Zinfandel or a jammy red blend.

Brisket

Fatty beef can handle bigger reds. Cabernet, Malbec or Petite Sirah.

Pulled pork

Sweet and tangy. Lambrusco, Zinfandel or a dry rosé.

BBQ chicken

Lighter meat. Rosé, Pinot Noir or a juicy Garnacha.

What to skip

Very dry, tannic reds with sweet sauce

The sauce makes the wine taste sour, and the tannin gets bitter. Save them for plain grilled steak.

Delicate whites

Smoke and sauce wipe them out. If you want white, pick a richer Chardonnay or go rosé instead.

Also worth a look

• What wine goes with burgers?
• What wine goes with pork?
• What wine goes with chili?

Last checked 2026-10-04.