Barbeque & Wine
Barbeque—a popular favorite on most menus—comes in many different regional variations. Developed from each area's unique combinations of meat, wood, and spices, regional styles are also differentiated by the type and cut of meat and cooking method, as well as the different rubs, sauces and flavorings that provide deliciously distinctive characteristics.
The smoky, acidic flavors of some barbeque sauces can make wine pairings an interesting challenge. Since sauces often dominate the taste of a dish, the following suggestions stem from sauce selection:
- Barbequed meats with acidic and/or spicier sauces:
- Lexington-style BBQ — primarily pulled or chopped pork with a tomato-vinegar sauce.
- Eastern-style BBQ — primarily pulled or chopped pork with a sauce based on vinegar and hot peppers.
- Consider semi-sweet, acidic whites and rosés such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio, and White Zinfandel. Or, try young, fruity reds such as Pinot Noir, Malbec and Sangiovese.
- Barbequed meats with a smoky and/or sweet sauce:
- Kansas City-style BBQ — primarily pork ribs and beef brisket slow smoked with extra-thick sweet, tangy sauces.
- Memphis-style BBQ — emphasizes ribs with sweet dry rubs and thin tomato-based sauce on the side.
- Texas-style BBQ — primarily sliced beef brisket served with thick, sweet-and-spicy tomato-based sauce on the side.
- Try jammy, fruit-forward wines with a spicy backbone and higher alcohol content such as Zinfandel, Syrah and Tempranillo.