Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2019 (from £12.99, Waitrose; majestic.co.uk) To judge from the smells wafting around my street over the past few hot weeks, a lot of people have been using their barbecues more than their cookers this summer. It’s a decision I endorse: it’s much more pleasant to cook in the open air than endure the patience- and temper-fraying heat of a kitchen in 40C, or even 30C, heat. Even when it becomes close to habitual, there’s something of the special occasion about cooking on a flaming grill – an excuse, if it were needed, for opening a bottle of something nicer than usual. While I don’t really believe in the marketing concept of the ‘barbie bottle’ – a wine uniquely suited to a barbecue no matter what grilled proteins, salads, or sauces are being served – the smoky flavours of barbecued food do seem to work better with some wines than others. There’s a subtle smoky twang among the brambly fruit, for example, in Kanonkop’s superior pinotage that fits very snugly with smoke-infused burgers and bangers.
Viña Mayu Titon Vineyard Syrah Gran Reserva, Elqui, Chile 2017 (£13.99, Majestic) Succulent reds with a bit of spice, herb or smoke, and which have enough body, depth and force without being too chewily tannic or dry: these are the elements that seem to work best with simply seasoned barbecued red meat. The classic southern French varieties grenache and syrah – whether on their own, as a duo, or as part of a blend with other varieties such as mourvèdre or carignan – are among the best at providing this combination. I’ve enjoyed Château La Négly La Clape 2020 (£12.99, Co-op), a wonderful blackberry-juicy syrah-grenache-mourvèdre from the Languedoc shot through with dark salty olive and rosemary; and the good-value southern Rhône Valley blend Aldi Specially Selected Cairanne 2020 (£8.99) with its tumble of black pepper-seasoned berries and plums. Viña Mayu’s syrah from the high-altitude Elqui Valley in northern Chile, meanwhile, adds a hint of aniseed and liquorice to the dark fruit in a South American asado-ready alternative.
