Written by Michele Longari IWA
This is the week of our Annual Summer Tasting, an event dedicated to wines made for warmer days, longer evenings and relaxed summer drinking. So it felt only right that this week’s blog post should follow the same theme, with a practical guide to the wines that work best with sharing plates, garden lunches and informal summer gatherings.
Summer food rarely arrives as a perfectly organised three-course meal. It tends to appear gradually.
Someone puts olives on the table. A bowl of hummus follows. Bread is torn rather than sliced. A salad appears from the kitchen, something starts cooking outside, and before long there are six different dishes competing for space, alongside several people asking what they can do to help... while doing absolutely nothing!
And, personally, I think this is one of the best ways to eat.
It also changes how we should think about wine. When several dishes are being shared, choosing a highly specific pairing for each plate becomes impractical. The better approach is to find wines that can move comfortably between different flavours, textures and ingredients.
Summer wine pairing is therefore less about searching for perfection and more about versatility. Freshness matters. Acidity matters. Moderate alcohol is often helpful. Above all, the wine needs to feel at home at the table, even when the menu is slightly improvised.
To bring the ideas in this article together, we’ve created The Summer Table Case, a six-bottle selection chosen for the kind of food and occasions we’ll be talking about here. It moves from sparkling wine and fresh whites through to rosé, a lighter red and a richer barbecue-friendly option, giving you a flexible line-up for sharing plates, garden lunches and long summer evenings.
There’s no need to follow a strict serving order or match each bottle to one particular dish. The case is designed to be opened naturally as the table fills and the evening develops.
But let's now continue our journey through this practical guide on Summer food and wine pairings. Here are some of the styles I rely on for sharing plates, garden lunches, barbecues and those relaxed summer evenings that begin with one bottle and somehow continue until the light has disappeared.
Start with the mood, not the main ingredient
Traditional wine advice often begins with a single ingredient: fish, chicken, lamb or beef.
That makes sense when one dish is the clear focus of the meal. It becomes less useful when the table contains grilled vegetables, feta, chicken skewers, tomato salad, flatbreads, dips and perhaps something spicy that nobody mentioned when the wine was chosen.
For this kind of meal, I start by looking at the overall character of the food.
Is it fresh and herb-led? Smoky and grilled? Salty and Mediterranean? Rich and creamy? Spicy and aromatic?
The cooking method, seasoning and sauce often matter more than the protein itself. A piece of chicken dressed with lemon and herbs needs a very different wine from the same chicken covered in a sweet, smoky barbecue glaze.
A summer table also tends to reward wines with energy rather than sheer power. High acidity refreshes the palate between mouthfuls, while lower tannin allows a wine to work with vegetables, salads and lighter dishes without becoming harsh.
That does not mean every summer wine has to be pale, delicate or served straight from an ice bucket. It simply needs enough freshness to keep the meal moving.
Sparkling wine is one of the safest places to begin
Sparkling wine is remarkably useful with food, although we often treat it as something to drink before the food arrives.
Its acidity and bubbles work particularly well with salty, fried and creamy dishes. Think crisps, olives, tempura vegetables, smoked salmon, soft cheeses, arancini or anything involving pastry.
A dry traditional-method sparkling wine, such as Crémant, Cava or English sparkling wine, can usually remain on the table well beyond the initial toast. It has enough structure for seafood, charcuterie and lighter grilled dishes, while still feeling refreshing at the beginning of the meal.
Pet Nat can be another excellent summer option. These wines are often fruitier, less formal and slightly softer in their sparkle. They suit the atmosphere of a relaxed lunch particularly well, especially alongside antipasti, vegetable dishes and informal sharing food.
Prosecco works best when the food is relatively light and uncomplicated. Its gentle fruitiness can be charming with mild cheeses, prosciutto, melon and simple canapés, although a very dry or intensely savoury dish may require something with more acidity and depth.
My main advice is simple: do not automatically remove the sparkling wine when everyone sits down. It may be the most versatile bottle you have opened.
Crisp white wines for salads, seafood and anything involving lemon
Crisp whites are the natural starting point for many summer meals, but the category covers far more than Sauvignon Blanc.
Wines such as Picpoul de Pinet, Vermentino, Albariño, Assyrtiko, Muscadet and dry Riesling all bring acidity and freshness, while offering slightly different flavours and textures.
Picpoul is excellent with shellfish, seafood platters and simple grilled fish. Its citrus character also works well with salads, especially when lemon, cucumber or fresh herbs are involved.
Vermentino is slightly more aromatic and often has a subtle herbal or saline character. I like it with courgettes, grilled prawns, pesto, focaccia and Mediterranean vegetable dishes. It is one of those wines that rarely dominates the food, but quietly makes the whole table feel more complete.
Albariño has a little more weight and fruit, making it particularly useful when the seafood is richer or more strongly seasoned. It can handle garlic, chilli and olive oil better than many very delicate whites.
Assyrtiko is a brilliant choice when the food has both richness and acidity. Its naturally firm structure works with grilled fish, salty cheeses and dishes dressed with lemon. It can also stand up to smoky flavours that might overwhelm a lighter wine.
Dry Riesling deserves far more space on British summer tables. Its acidity is ideal for fresh dishes, while its citrus and floral notes work beautifully with herbs, spice and Asian-inspired flavours.
The useful rule here is to consider the dressing or sauce. A sharp vinaigrette can make a soft, low-acid wine taste flat. Choose a white with at least as much freshness as the food, particularly when tomatoes, citrus or vinegar are involved.
What to drink with a summer sharing table
A table filled with hummus, olives, grilled peppers, tomatoes, flatbreads, falafel, cured meats and cheese is one of the most enjoyable summer meals and one of the least suited to a rigid food-pairing chart.
The wine must cope with salt, acidity, herbs, garlic, oil and several different textures.
A fresh Mediterranean white is usually the easiest solution. Vermentino, Fiano, Greco, Assyrtiko or a southern French white blend can all work well. These wines often have enough body for the richer dishes, but retain the acidity needed for tomatoes and salads.
Dry rosé is another strong option. A good rosé can move between vegetable dishes, charcuterie, seafood and gently spiced food more naturally than many whites or reds.
For a slightly more adventurous choice, try a restrained skin-contact wine. The light tannin created by contact with the grape skins gives the wine additional structure, which can be helpful with hummus, roasted vegetables and spiced dishes. I would avoid anything excessively funky or heavily extracted when serving a broad group of people. The wine should encourage conversation, rather than become the only topic of conversation.
Light red wines can also work, particularly when served slightly cool. Frappato, Schiava, Cinsault, Gamay and lighter styles of Pinot Noir all have enough red fruit for charcuterie and grilled food, without the heavy tannin that can clash with vegetables or spice.
The aim is not to find a wine that matches every ingredient individually. It is to choose one that shares the same relaxed, generous character as the meal.
Rosé deserves to be treated as a food wine
Rosé is often selected according to colour. The palest bottle wins, particularly once the sun appears.
Colour can tell us something about how the wine was made, but it does not automatically tell us how good, dry or food-friendly it will be.
Pale Provence-style rosé is ideal for light salads, seafood, mild cheeses and simple vegetable dishes. Its subtle fruit and dry finish are refreshing without demanding much attention.
A deeper-coloured rosé can be more useful when the food becomes stronger. Rosé made from grapes such as Grenache, Sangiovese, Montepulciano or Cabernet Franc may have more fruit, spice and structure. These wines can work with grilled chicken, tuna, cured meats, tomato-based dishes and even lighter barbecued meats.
Rosé is especially effective when the table contains dishes that seem to sit between traditional white-wine and red-wine territory. Grilled salmon is a good example. So are charcuterie boards, tomato tarts, chicken skewers and Mediterranean pasta salads.
A dry sparkling rosé can be even more flexible. It combines the refreshment of sparkling wine with enough red-fruit character to handle richer food.
Rather than thinking of rosé as an aperitif to drink before the serious wine arrives, choose one with enough structure to remain on the table. In the right setting, it may be the most useful wine of the afternoon.
Barbecue wine depends on what is actually on the barbecue
The word barbecue is not a flavour.
A barbecue might mean grilled sea bass with lemon. It might mean halloumi and vegetable skewers. It could mean sausages, lamb chops, burgers or chicken covered in a sweet and spicy sauce.
Smoke and char add intensity, so the wine usually needs more flavour than it would for the same ingredient cooked indoors.
For grilled vegetables, halloumi and chicken, try a textured white such as Fiano, white Rhône or lightly oaked Chardonnay. A fuller rosé can also work very well.
Sausages are surprisingly flexible. A juicy Grenache-based red, Barbera or medium-bodied Tempranillo will cope with both the meat and the caramelised flavours from the grill.
Lamb works beautifully with reds that combine herbs, fruit and savoury character. Southern Rhône blends, Rioja, Chianti and Cabernet Franc are all useful options, depending on the seasoning.
For burgers or steak, Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and richer Tempranillo have enough body and tannin to match the meat. However, there is no need to reach automatically for the biggest wine available. Very powerful reds can become tiring on a warm day, particularly if the alcohol is high.
Barbecue sauce introduces another issue. Sweet sauces can make a dry, tannic red taste bitter and severe. A fruit-forward red with softer tannins is often a better choice. Zinfandel, Primitivo, Grenache or a ripe New World Shiraz can work because their generous fruit reflects the sweetness and smoke of the sauce.
With spicy marinades, keep alcohol and tannin under control. Both can make chilli feel hotter.
Spicy summer food needs fruit, fragrance and restraint
Summer food often includes spice, whether it comes from chilli, harissa, jerk seasoning, curry paste or hot sauce.
The safest wines tend to have strong fruit, noticeable aroma and relatively low alcohol. A little residual sweetness can also help calm the perception of heat.
Off-dry Riesling is the classic example. It works with Thai, Vietnamese and many Indian dishes because the sweetness softens the chilli, while the acidity keeps the wine refreshing.
Gewürztraminer can be excellent with aromatic spices, although its fuller texture and distinctive perfume make it slightly less universal. Fruity Chenin Blanc, Torrontés and aromatic rosé can also work.
Very tannic reds are usually difficult with chilli. Heat can make the tannin feel more bitter and the alcohol more aggressive. A soft, juicy red served cool is far more comfortable.
This is also one of the occasions when serving temperature makes a major difference. A wine that has warmed up on the table may taste heavier and more alcoholic than it did when first poured.
Keep the bottle cool, but not frozen into submission. The aim is refreshment, not numbness.
Yes, you can chill red wine
The idea that red wine should always be served at room temperature comes from a time when room temperature was considerably cooler than many modern homes, conservatories and sunny patios.
Lighter reds often taste better with a gentle chill.
Gamay, Pinot Noir, Frappato, Schiava, Cinsault and some styles of Grenache can be placed in the fridge for around 20 to 30 minutes before serving. The cooler temperature emphasises freshness and makes the wine feel more precise.
Do not serve them as cold as a white wine. Excessive chilling can suppress the fruit and make tannin feel harder. Somewhere around cool cellar temperature is usually ideal.
Even fuller reds benefit from avoiding heat. A Cabernet Sauvignon that has been sitting in direct sunshine will quickly become soupy, alcoholic and unbalanced.
Use an ice bucket if necessary, adding enough water to cool the bottle gradually. There is no rule saying the bucket belongs exclusively to white and rosé.
Chilled red wine is particularly good with charcuterie, grilled chicken, tuna, tomato dishes, pizza and vegetable-based sharing plates. It also gives red-wine drinkers a genuinely refreshing option during warmer weather.
Garden lunches need versatile bottles
For a long garden lunch, I prefer to open fewer styles of wine, but choose each one carefully.
A useful progression might begin with a dry sparkling wine, followed by a versatile white or rosé, then a light or medium-bodied red served slightly cool.
This covers most dishes without requiring a different bottle for every plate.
For the white, choose something with freshness and enough texture to work beyond the first course. Vermentino, Chenin Blanc, dry Riesling, Fiano or lightly oaked Chardonnay are all good candidates.
For the red, avoid excessive tannin unless the meal is centred around substantial grilled meat. Pinot Noir, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Gamay or a fresh Grenache blend will usually work with a broader range of dishes.
Rosé can replace either the white or the red, particularly when the table includes seafood, chicken, salads and charcuterie.
The best garden-lunch wines should also be enjoyable without food. People eat at different speeds, conversations wander and plates are cleared slowly. A wine that only makes sense with one particular dish may feel rather out of place for the rest of the afternoon.
A simple summer wine formula
When I am choosing wine for a summer gathering, I generally look for three things.
First, freshness. Acidity keeps both the wine and the palate lively.
Second, versatility. The bottle should work across several dishes rather than demand one exact match.
Third, drinkability. This does not mean simple or uninteresting. It means balanced, comfortable and appropriate for the occasion.
For a mixed group, a useful selection might include:
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one traditional-method sparkling wine;
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one crisp or aromatic white;
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one dry, food-friendly rosé;
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one lighter red that can be served cool;
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one fuller red if grilled meat is central to the meal.
That is enough to handle almost any summer table without turning lunch into a professional tasting.
A bottle of water on the table is equally important, particularly when the weather is warm. It sounds obvious, yet it is frequently the one thing everyone forgets until halfway through the second bottle of wine!
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, to bring the ideas in this guide together, we’ve created The Summer Table Case, a six-bottle selection chosen for the kind of food and occasions we’ve been talking about here. It moves from sparkling wine and fresh whites through to rosé, a lighter red and a richer barbecue-friendly option, giving you a flexible line-up for sharing plates, garden lunches and long summer evenings. There’s no need to follow a strict serving order or match each bottle to one particular dish. The case is designed to be opened naturally as the table fills and the evening develops.
The best pairing is the one that keeps the table happy
Wine pairing should make food more enjoyable, not make the host anxious.
A technically perfect match is of little value when half the guests dislike the wine. Personal taste still matters, and summer gatherings are rarely the moment to lecture someone because they prefer rosé with their steak.
The most successful summer wines tend to share a few qualities. They are fresh, balanced and generous enough to cope with imperfect menus. They do not need to be expensive, famous or served with ceremony.
Choose wines that suit the way people are actually eating. Keep whites, rosés and sparkling wines properly cool. Give lighter reds a brief spell in the fridge. Pay attention to sauces, dressings and seasoning rather than focusing only on the main ingredient.
Then put the bottles on the table and let everyone relax.
After all, the real pleasure of summer food and wine is rarely a flawless pairing. It is the moment when the plates are nearly empty, the last glass is being shared, and nobody seems particularly interested in going home.
