7 of the Best Wines for Summer Barbecue Season

With the summer season in full swing, it’s safe to say that barbecue season is upon us. There’s no better way to fight those long, hot work weeks than with wine-soaked barbecues on the weekends. But let’s face it: July and August are hot, and finding the right wines to match your food and quench your thirst without giving you heatstroke can be a difficult task. Still, there are plenty of wines out there perfect for long days by the grill — yes, reds, too!

We’ve rounded up seven of our favorite barbecue wines for this summer season. With sparkling, white, rosé, and red, there’s a barbecue bottle out there for every palate.

Raventos i Blanc ‘L’Hereu’ Brut Conca del Riu Anoia 2014

Raventos Cava is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonThere’s a reason we start all of our evening soirées with bubbly, and it’s not just because it looks fancy AF. The super high acidity in sparkling wine causes our mouths to salivate, prepping our palates for long nights of eating. We love this organic/biodynamic Cava from Raventos; the palate is creamy and dense, yet balanced out with a striking acidity and mineral notes. The perfect aperitif sparkler to start your grill sesh. Average Price: $19

La Fleur du Roi Bordeaux Blanc 2015

La Fleur du Roi Bordeaux Blanc is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonWho says good Bordeaux has to cost a fortune? This Sauvignon Blanc-dominant blend is rounded out with Sémillon, the classic assemblage for dry Bordeaux Blanc. The wine is full of juicy stone fruit flavors and crisp acidity, promising to keep your thirst quenched all throughout your sun-drenched afternoon. Very easy to drink. Average Price: $11

Forstreiter Grüner Veltliner Schiefer Reserve 2014

Forstreiter Gruner Veltliner is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonRoots run deep at this Austrian estate, with the Forstreiter family crafting wines in the Kremstal region since the late 1800s. Forstreiter ages their Grüner Veltliner for two weeks on the lees post-fermentation, giving the wine a flinty, layered palate of white pepper and earth. Perfect for pairing with grilled vegetables. Average Price: $20

Clos Beylesse Cotes de Provence Rosé 2016

Clos Beylesse Rose is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonNothing conveys summer barbecue like a chilled glass of rosé! When it comes to everyone’s favorite pink juice, Provence certainly sits at the top of the throne. This Syrah-dominant blend, rounded out by Grenache and Cinsault, is extremely light on the palate, with a soft yet zesty acidity. Pairs with… well, everything that has to do with being outdoors. Average Price: $26

Ochota Barrels ‘Texture Like the Sun’ Adelaide Hills 2016

Ochota Barrels 'Texture Like the Sun' is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonWhoever said “red wine should never be served chilled” obviously never popped this bottle in the fridge for 10 minutes. This kitchen-sink blend of both red and white grape varieties is super light and juicy, perfect for red-wine lovers who feel slighted in the summer. Average Price: $28

Karavitakis Winery ‘Little Prince Red’ 2015

Little Prince Red is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonThis fourth- generation Cretan winery focuses on the island’s terroir-driven indigenous varieties. This medium-bodied dry red is comprised of 65 percent Kotsifali and 35 percent Mandilari, with grapes influenced by Mediterranean climate and cooling sea breezes. The wine is soft and aromatic, with supple flavors of red fruit and earth. Delicious with grilled vegetables and light meat, though it can definitely stand on its own. Average Price: $14

A Portela Mencia 2014

A Portela Mencia is one of the best wines to serve during your summer barbecues this seasonWhen it comes to barbecue, Spanish reds are king. While many wine drinkers tend to lean toward heavier Tempranillo- and Garnacha-based wines, we love the earthy, light-to- medium-bodied reds from northwestern Galicia. Mencia, an indigenous grape to the region, is highly aromatic and earthy, pairing well with an array of smoky barbecued meats and charred vegetables. Average Price: $15