5 brilliant red wines to boost your BBQ

With the summery weather spurring more cookouts than memory serves us, and warm, dry spells on the cards as we head into the tail end of the holiday season, we’re thinking wines in the red corner may need reviving.

Especially with outdoor entertaining such a highlight when sunshine and blue skies kick in – and cooking al fresco feeling very of the moment with the social scene in full swing.

Here’s what’s firing up our taste buds as we pore over those marinade recipes, and single out some standout reds…

1.  Asda Extra Special Sicilian Reserve Red 2021, Italy, £7.47, Asda

Gorgeous, intense, with a delicious concentration of dark berry and cherry fruits, overlaid with wild strawberry notes, florals and savoury oak – leading to a smooth, rounded, spice-edged finish, this suave Sicilian made with the native nero d’avola grape is a Decanter World Wine Award Gold Medal Winner 2025. Serve it with a gourmet burger, and wait for the accolades to roll in.

2. Terra Organica Malbec 2024, Mendoza, Argentina, £11.75, Ocado

Hah, how we love the mighty malbec! From an award-winning organic producer, with a stable of wines worldwide, this approachable, easy-drinking, blueberry-scented beauty is brimming with brambly fruit, plums, blackberry and cassis; with a veil of soft spice, leading to a long finish. Bring on a flame-grilled steak.

3. Journey’s End Pastor’s Blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc 2022, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £13.50, Ocado

Did someone say ‘bring and braii’ on the party invitation? When you want to coax everyone to the table, this deftly blended red – cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc – is impressive from word go. Seductively scented and generously laden with blackcurrant, cherries, raspberry and violets; herbal and spicy nuances with a velvety smooth finish, it’s a crowd-pleaser for sure. One that cries out for skewered meats, sticky sauces, and even a braaibroodjie toasted cheese sandwich.

4. Robert Oatley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Margaret River, Australia, £15, Majestic

This cab sav is a star. Rich, ripe, fragrant with florals galore, the wine delivers what it promises with its beguiling bouquet. Vibrant flavours of blackberries, blackcurrant and plums overlaid with a lick of vanilla, cedar notes, sweet spice and hint of herbs are all in the magical mix. Elegant, balanced with good length and fine, gravelly tannins, we’re thinking slow-cooked BBQ beef ribs and baked potatoes.

5. Beronia Rioja Reserva 2020, Spain, £17.50, Waitrose

A gentle giant, this oak-aged stands out for its flashes of spice, cracked pepper, hints of dried herbs and perfumed aromas. Beautifully smooth with a forest floor of plush black fruits lingering on the persistent finish, everything glides beautifully together. Poised with really good concentration, think barbecued leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary… if you can make it last that long!