Labor Day is almost here—time to fire up the grill and get cooking. Below are six tips from two acclaimed chefs: Bobby Flay, restaurateur and TV personality, and Amitzur Mor, Executive Chef at NYC’s Barbounia Restaurant. Read on to discover the onion trick!

And can you guess which New World wine is a top choice to go with all the sweet, salty, smokey, spicy, tangy deliciousness? Scroll down for three superb examples of a great-for-grilling wine.

Six Grilling Tips

Do a warm-up. Take the meat out of the fridge for about twenty minutes to an hour (depending on how thick the pieces are) before grilling. The meat will cook faster and more evenly.
Season the grill. Before turning the grill on, cut an onion in half, dip it in olive oil and rub it on the grill’s grates. This will make sure the meat doesn’t stick, and it smells fantastic.
Feel the heat. Give your grill plenty of time to preheat. If it's hot enough, you shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grates for more than 2 seconds.
Don't move. Let your steak develop a seared crust on the grill before moving or flipping it. If you try to lift the meat before it's ready, it'll stick to the grates.
Take time to rest. Once your steak is off the grill, wait at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices a chance to settle back into the meat, leaving you with juicier, more tender meat.
Use the touch test. Check for doneness with a simple tool: your finger. A rare steak feels soft and spongy, medium springs back a bit when pressed, and well-done feels firm.

Go Red With Malbec

White wine and rosé can be great choices for warm summer nights, especially before the main course to get the appetite going, but red wine is usually the best choice to pair with the intense flavors of juicy char-grilled meats and spicy BBQ sauces.

Malbec from Argentina, plush, fruity and fragrant with velvety tannins, is an excellent match with steak, pork, lamb, venison and dark meat poultry. It even goes well with fattier fish like salmon. It’s no wonder that in Argentina, the Malbec flows on Sunday afternoons when entire families gather for the traditional asado, a type of Argentinian grilled feast. The wine’s aromas and flavors of blackberries, plums, and violets make it an excellent crowd-pleaser.

Note: The birthplace of Malbec is the small village of Cahors in southwest France, but in the late 1800s the grape found its way to Argentina and has since become the country’s most famous red grape. Today there are about 100,000 acres of Malbec grown in Argentina, whereas there are only about 7,500 acres grown in Cahors.

Three Superb Choices

The following three Malbecs (sent as samples) are made from grapes grown in high-elevation areas, where the hot days and cold nights allow the grapes to retain plenty of acidity—just what’s needed to create great tasting, lively wines.

Wine Tip: Make sure your reds are slightly chilled, as a too-warm red will taste dull and flabby.

Bodegas Salentein Numina Gran Corte 2016 is a blend of 65% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. One of the leading producers in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, Bodegas Salentein was instrumental in positioning Uco as a winemaking region of the highest quality. The Numina is a remarkably elegant wine with rich red fruit flavors and silky tannins and a long delicious finish. Highly recommended alongside a grilled porterhouse steak with green peppercorn sauce. 13.5% ABV, SRP: $40.99.

Bodega Trivento 2019 Golden Reserve Malbec is made from 80-year-old vines tended by many generations of family growers in the heart of Luján de Cuyo, one of of the most famous areas for Malbec. Full-bodied, well-balanced with velvety tannins and medium-plus acidity; flavors of ripe dark fruits (black cherry and dark plum), chocolate and spices (allspice, clove and black pepper). Try it with skirt steak with scallion salsa verde, 14% ABV and a steal at $20 SRP.

2019 Catena Malbec is sourced and blended from the family´s historic high-altitude vineyards in Maipú, Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato and San Carlos. Very fresh-tasting and flavorful with fruity notes of blackberry, blueberries, cherry, and plum, with leather, pepper, vanilla and a hint of smoke; rich, velvety tannins and a long, elegant finish. A great example of the superb value of Mendoza Malbec. Pair with grilled Korean-style short ribs. 13.5% ABV; $19 SRP.