The Wine You Should Bring To Every Summer Barbecue

For a backyard barbecue, a guest should always bring something that adds to the party. For some, that means sodas and water, and for others, plenty of beer and chips. But for the wine lover, only a bottle of the good stuff will do. Still, it may be hard to decide what type of vino will work best with the classic hot dog and hamburger fare as well as any desserts, fruits, and savory sides. Thanfully, Vanessa Price, sommelier, author, and restaurateur at Mavericks Montauk, has shared their expert thoughts on the matter. 

Price knows exactly the type of wine to bring to that outdoor get-together: a perfectly pink rosé. But not just any rosé — for Price, it's go big or go home. Your bottle of summery rosé should be large enough to treat everyone there at your gathering, coupled with the fact that it's "a showstopper when you walk in," as the sommelier puts it.

So what should you be looking for when you shop for this large bottle of pink wine? The term to look for is "Magnum," a type of bottle that's twice the size of a traditional wine bottle, packing nearly 10 glasses of vino. For even larger crowds, you can opt for sizes like "Jeroboam" that comes in 3 liters all the way to "Nebuchadnezzar," which comes in a whopping 15-liter bottle. Popular rosé brands like Miraval and Gérard Bertrand both offer magnum sizes for its rosé, and if you'd like to make that a brut rosé, try a sparkling magnum version from Louis Bouillot or Chandon. 

Once you get your supersized wine bottle, Price claims you have one final crucial step before it's perfectly party-ready: "Make sure it's ice cold when you get there." When you arrive with that jumbo bottle in hand, people will quickly want to break into it, so it's best to have it already chilled. With this key tip in your back pocket, you're ready to rock the backyard barbecue with your rosy wine of choice.