What Wine for BBQ???

Smoked foods beg for great wines!

Are we talking North Carolina style? Or that of Kansas, or Memphis or Texas??? Each style is so distinct it requires its own pairing suggestions. Our chart (below) makes pairing wine and BBQ easy no matter what style you're about to eat - print it out and keep it as a handy guide.

But first, this. If you've read my previous posts you know I'm not a fan of strict pairing guidelines. Because most foods taste better with almost any well-made wine. And because when we get together with family and friends - some of whom may drink (shudder) Franzia's boxed wine in their own homes - your good company and conversation will divert most everyone's attention from the nuances of scent and flavor so critical to enjoying an epic food-and-wine pairing. And IMHO, this is as it should be (at least part of the time!)

However, if your group includes one or more curious (or even serious) wine lovers, talk will eventually turn to the wine and food. And the following guide will be helpful for providing such funsters a memorable evening.

But First, the 'Milling-About' Wine

When your guests arrive, will they be in for an hour or so of milling about the kitchen or outdoor grill? If so, they'll likely appreciate a crisp, chilled white or dry rosé. Such wines are not only refreshing at day's end, they help prepare the appetite with their mouth-watering acidity.

Candidate Wines - Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé of Grenache, bubbles, Vermentino, Albariño/Alvarinho

The Main Event - BBQ Six Ways

No simple BBQ & Wine guideline can cover every type of meat, rub, sauce and wood. But these are the primary flavor components of any BBQ, and this grid provides a useful tool for any wine lover. Truth? I use it all the time as a memory jogger.

BBQ Style	Meats	Rub/Sauce	Wood	Wines
No Carolina	Pork	Sweet & Tangy baste	Hickory	Dry rosé (still or sparkling), Medium-bodied reds - Merlot, domestic Pinot, Sangiovese Cabernet Franc
Texas	Beef	Dry (served with un-sweetened vinegar- based sauce)	Mesquite	Bigger reds - Cabernet, Petite Sirah Garnacha, Cotes du Rhone, GSM blend
Kansas City	Pork Beef Poultry Sausage Fish	Tomato-based sweet sauce, applied at the final stage of smoking and at the table	Varies, but primarily Hickory	Fish/Poultry - Rich whites w. good acidity. Chablis, Sauv Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Gris Vinho Verde All Others - light 'chillable' reds. Counoise, light Grenache or earthy Garnacha, Mourvedre. Or contrast with lighter Pinot.
Memphis	Pork - Ribs - Butt	Both dry rub and tomato-based sauces	Hickory. Fruit wood also popular	Whites - fruity and aromatic wines will tame the spice in a dry rub. Muscat, Riesling, Moschofilero, Gruner Veltliner. Reds - Fruit-driven reds below 14% ABV
Misc Others:
Hawaii	Pork Poultry Fish	Pineapple, ginger, soy Asian spices		Juicy, fruit-driven wines without oak. Off-dry wines pair with these flavors, but a crisp wine can contrast nicely. Try Rosés of Pinot, sparkling Rosés, and aromatic whites, especially the Asian food- friendly Gruner Veltliner.
California	Beef (Tri-Tip)	Santa Maria dry rub Pico de Gallo (for topping)		Rich rosés, fruit-driven reds with low tannins - GSM blends, Pinot, earthy Garnacha, Sangiovese...