The Best Wines for Every Regional Style of American Barbecue
Whether you're chowing down Carolina whole hog, Texas brisket or any other American regional barbecue style, there's a wine to pair for it. [...] Read More... The post The Best Wines for Every Regional Style of American Barbecue appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
A glass of wine might not be the typical beverage people reach for while chowing down racks of deliciously saucy ribs or a juicy cut of brisket. However, in-the-know drinkers are well aware of how an aptly paired wine can elevate a perfectly grilled or smoked cut of meat.
“There are so many great ways to work wine into really any type of cuisine, but particularly with barbecue because there are so many cultural similarities between the way that wine gets made and enjoyed and the way that barbecue gets made and enjoyed,” says Matthew Brown, a wine educator and consultant in Virginia.
Both wine and barbecue take time and skill to make, boast subtle flavor nuances and highlight regional variation.
Some meats are spice-rubbed. Some are smoked. Some come covered with a sauce, mop or crunchy, flavorful, crispy bark. But regardless of the cut of meat or how it’s made, “you’ll want a wine that can carry you through the whole meal,” says Dana Beninati, a food and wine educator in New York City and the host of Dine With Dana.
Barbecue and Wine Pairing 101
There are some key characteristics worth looking for in a bottle regardless of what specific type of American barbecue you’re enjoying. Start with wines that are refreshing, skew on the lighter side and are well-balanced.
“I’m looking for [wines with] great acidity, low to medium alcohol but also intensity of flavor that is thirst quenching,” Brown says. “Because to me, as a Southern boy, I think the quintessential barbecue drink is sweet tea. So, I want my wine to have that same light, refreshing, easy-to-drink quality—but also bold flavors.”
Beninati agrees that fresh, light and flavorful are the common themes to seek out, and a significant indicator of those qualities in wine is high acidity. “Richness and fattiness play a huge part in barbecue, and we all know how we feel after we eat a really rich, heavy meal,” Beninati says. “You need something refreshing to create balance for the richness of the barbecue.”
Abe Zarate, wine director at Crane Club in New York City, suggests choosing something chilled to pair with regional barbecue, like a lighter-style red wine, white or rosé. “Chillable reds are a big thing right now,” Zarate says. “But I would argue any red could be chillable if that enhances the experience. It’s more about digging deeper into what you’re consuming.”
Sparkling wine is also a great pairing partner for most famous regional barbecues on menus. “The undertones that every barbecue pit master plays around with—smoke, spice, caramelization, fire, browning—work so well with sparkling wine,” Beninati says. “So, it’s a very safe option.”
While there are some general themes to look for when pairing a wine with regional barbecue, we decided to get granular with specific styles expertly picked to match regional specialities. Below, Beninati, Brown and Zarate share their favorite pairing partners for some of the most popular styles of U.S. barbecue.
Eastern Carolina Whole Hog with Vinegar Sauce: Cava
Down in the eastern side of Tar Heel State, whole hogs are smoked over a pit and when the meat is done it’s chopped up, with the white and dark parts mixed together, then soaked in a tangy vinegar sauce. The thin and sharp sauce—which highlights the smoky and savory notes of the pork—is similar to the vinegar-based Escabeche that’s commonly found on top of grilled meats and fish in Spain, says Benanti.
This is why she suggests pairing it with a Spanish Cava, like Segura Vidas. “It’s so elegant but still an easy sipper that can balance out the flavors of barbecue,” she says. “And the price point isn’t aggressive. I am blown away by the quality when we’re talking value for money.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Segura Viudas NV Brut Sparkling (Cava)
Pale straw to the eye, this wine has steady perlage and a nose of Granny Smith apple, apricot and saline. It washes across the palate with a pleasant tingle and Bartlett pear, guava, passion fruit, brioche and toasted hazelnut flavors that coalesce in a vivid finish. Best Buy. 88 Points — Mike DeSimone $12 Plum Market
Carolina Gold Pulled Pork: Vouvray
When looking for barbecue in South Carolina, the glorious mustardy Carolina Gold sauce is usually stacked high on plates. Pulled pork is covered in a mustard-based sauce mixed with vinegar, brown sugar, pepper and spice that offers a tangy and spicy flavor and hints of sweetness.
Search for a slightly off-dry Chenin Blanc, like those made in France’s Loire Valley, to play up the sweetness of the sauce. “Wouldn’t it be fun to have something with the right amount of acid but also a little touch sweet?,” says Brown. “Because you’re going to get a lot of acid with this wine, which I think you need when there’s that much intensity of flavor in the sauce.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Alain de la Treille 2021 Chenin Blanc (Vouvray)
This complex wine conveys apricot undertones. Lemon in color, it has an aromatic nose of green pear, Fuji apple, honeysuckle, dried hay and hints of vanilla baking spice. The slightly off-dry Vouvray is fulsome without being dominating. Best Buy. 91 Points — Reggie Solomon $20 Madwine
Alabama Chicken with White Sauce: Petit Manseng
It’s all about the white sauce in Alabama, particularly in the bustling city of Birmingham. A creamy and tangy condiment, primarily made with mayonnaise, vinegar and pepper, the sauce provides a rich flavor that accentuates the smokiness of the chicken. It’s a perfect match for a textural Petit Manseng. “You need something with texture and body that’s not necessarily full but has that backbone of structural acid that can reset the palate and prepare you for another bite of that rich, smoky chicken,” Zarate says.
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Fattoria Le Pupille 2020 Piemme Petit Manseng (Toscana)
Memphis Dry Ribs: Carbonic Red Blend
One of the most known and popular styles of American barbecue is Memphis dry ribs coated in a blend of spices including paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and sometimes a bit of sugar. It’s an intense bomb of flavor for a sturdy cut of meat that deserves a wine that’s equally flavorful but completely refreshing. A carbonic macerated red blend does the trick, according to Brown. “When I think of Memphis barbecue, there’s a little tang,” she says. “And so I like to match that intensity of flavor with a tart freshness and a smoky element.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Joseph-Jibril 2023 Carbonic Red (California)
This wine is fresh, lively with aromas of dark berries, strawberry preserve, dried basil, and florals on the nose. The flavors on the palate are pomegranate, orange zest, baked peach, sliding into cinnamon, and a mouth watering finish. Pair with Grilled Pork Tenderloin. 92 Points — Tonya Pitts $30 Vintages Online
Kansas City Burnt Ends: Sparkling Rosé
There’s a lovely combination of smoky, sweet and savory flavors in every little piece of Kansas City burnt ends, a staple of Missouri barbecue. It’s made from the marbled tip of smoked brisket, which is coated in a sweet liquid blend of vinegar and tomato-based sauces. “Let’s pair this with a lower-alcohol option that delivers on major flavors,” Beninati says, noting that the high acidity and effervescence of Pinot Noir-based sparkling rosé acts like a palate cleanser to prep for the next bite.
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Domaine Lumineux 2019 Brut Rosé Sparkling Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills)
Domaine Lumineux, formerly Domaine Broglie, is hitting their stride with their traditional method sparkling wine program. Their brut rosé’s elegant bubbles help deliver aromas like tart red raspberries, cranberries and a nutty bit of farro. Ripe raspberry and strawberry flavors are punctuated by a tangy juniper lemony acidity. This wine feels powdery dry. Editor’s Choice. 94 Points — Michael Alberty $65 Domaine Lumineux
St. Louis Ribs with Tomato Sauce: Franciacorta
It’s all about the sweet, tomato-y sauces slathered on baby back ribs in St. Louis, Missouri. These ribs are known for their tender meatiness and are smothered in a sweet, tangy and slightly smoky sauce that enhances the natural taste of the pork. Beninati reaches for a glass of Franciacorta, Italy’s answer to Champagne, such as Fratelli Berlucchi Brut 25. “I’m out in the sunshine; I’ve got my sunglasses on; I’ve got sauce on my face,” she says. “I’m reaching for a glass of this sparkling because it has so much structure to stand up to the rich boldness of this meat.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Fratelli Berlucchi NV Brut 25 Chardonnay (Franciacorta)
This steely blanc de blanc lifts out of the glass with crisp orchard fruit, fresh jasmine and lemon zest aromas giving way to subtle hints of brioche. The palate shows green apple, mixed citrus and hints of pineapple, finishing with a mineral edge. 91 Points — Jeff Porter $ Varies Wine-searcher
Central Texas Brisket: Italian Cabernet Sauvignon
When it comes to barbecue, brisket is king. And nowhere does it quite like Central Texas. Simply with a seasoning blend of black pepper, salt and a pinch of cayenne, the complex flavors come from the low and slow cooking process—usually about 12 hours indirectly smoked with post oak. The final result is a meat with a juicy center enveloped in a dark, crunchy, spiced bark.
It needs a sturdy wine that can “complement every bite in any cut of the brisket, lean fatty or both,” like Podere Sapaio’s blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Merlot and Petit Verdot from Bolgheri, a hidden gem region of Italy, Zarate says. “Grapes grown in this area are influenced by the coastal climate to the west and a natural mountainous amphitheater surrounding it,” he adds. “The breezier microclimate translates to a bold wine that offers ripe dark fruit with a backbone of fresh acidity.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Podere Sapaio 2021 Volpolo Red (Bolgheri)
A nose full of dark berries has savory undertones and a stony saltiness that keep things interesting. Berries carry over to the palate, while undertones shift sweeter and more citrusy, before a spicy nuttiness emerges on the finish. Balanced tannins and acidity provide warmth. 93 Points — D.C. $42 Wine.com
Santa Maria Tri-Tip: Cabernet Franc
On the West Coast, barbecue lovers revel in Santa Maria tri-tip, a hunk of beef that’s prepared with a basic blend of salt, pepper and garlic salt. It’s grilled on a grate that gets lowered and raised above red-oak embers, which gives a crisp crust, juicy center and smoky flavor. Brown recommends pairing it with a wine with a little “smoky, spicy kind of element,” like T. Berkley Wines’ Cabernet Franc, made with grapes from the Thalia Vineyard in Sonoma. “This Cab Franc is like 13% alcohol: it’s not overripe, it’s not big, it’s not jammy,” says Brown. “It’s really well structured. It has beautiful tannins, and you could serve it at about 60 degrees or so. I think it shows well with just a little bit of chill on it.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
T. Berkley Wines 2021 Thalia Vineyard Cabernet Franc (Knights Valley)
Cedar, graphite and iron in the aroma give way to punchy black cherries, tobacco and espresso flavors on the palate. This firmly tannic wine is true to the varietal, being a bit lean on fruit and long on smoky, savory notes. Best from 2028. 88 Points — Jim Gordon $70 Wardman Wines
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