Pairing With BBQ

At least in the US, we have a holiday weekend coming up as we celebrate those who gave their lives in military service. In a decent part of the country, that means it's barbecue or BBQ time. And as afficionados know, and I am frankly not one of them (BBQ and my digestive system no longer get along all that well), BBQ styles vary in different parts of the country.

Let's start out with Carolina style BBQ which interestingly is really North Carolina style as South Carolina has a slightly different style. And, consider that North Carolina is a pretty big state east to west and that the eastern part of the state has a different style than the western part of the state. The difference as far as I know is that in the eastern part of the state, they use the whole hog while in the western part, they stick to the shoulders. And, while both sauces use lots of vinegar, salt and pepper, and sugar, in the west, they add even more sugar and throw in some ketchup.

Vinegar is acidic -- very acidic. And regular readers know that acidic food requires acidic wine. For the eastern part of the state, we need a wine that is particularly fruity. For starters, I don't drink Muscadine wine. But, if you want Carolina BBQ and you want wine, Muscadine is likely to pair well. But, if you want wine that you would also drink at other times, consider something like Riesling from Mosel if you want to stay with white wines or perhaps Barbera or Zinfandel in the red category. Or, for another wine to start the summer with, go for a crisp refreshing fruity Rose.

For the western part of the state, the ketchup and added sugar really change the profile. Riesling won't work. In my opinion, you need some tannins. I will choose Syrah/Shiraz or perhaps a Tempranillo that has gone through some serious aging on oak.

In South Carolina, they think that loading up the sauce with mustard is the stairway to heaven. This is a tough pairing. The BBQ has a combination of sweetness and spice that confuses the wine palate. If you want a white wine, don't go completely dry. Consider again a Riesling, but maybe off-dry or semi-sweet. And, among the red wines, this feels more like western Carolina, so consider Syrah. If you are going the Syrah path though, drinking at room temperature will not work. The combination of all the fat in the BBQ with mustard will make a warm Syrah taste flabby. Cool the wine a good 8-10 degrees more than you nortmally would. The food will give it the sensastion of being warmer.

Moving west to Memphis, they do a dry rub. And it's spicy and sweet. Cumin, brown sugar, pepper, chili pepper powder all create that rub. I am going to go back to Rose here. But, if you really want a red wine, consider Merlot. Merlot, of all the Bordeaux grapes has enough acidity to handle this BBQ and just enough body to carry the weight.

In Texas, they make their BBQ smoky and smoky and slow and slow. The very slow cooking gets rid of an awful lot of the fat. For the smoke to not overwhelm the wine, I like the idea of a wine that also has natural smokiness. Traditional reds from the Rhone Valley fit the bill as might a Rioja Reserva from Spain. 

And ending our list, just because I type in the order my brain thinks of things is Kansas City BBQ. This is the stick to everything BBQ. Sticky, gooey, finger-licking good. It's big. It needs a big wine.many people, and I am sometimes among them, consider the wines of the Paso Robles (California) AVA to be over-extracted. But, there cannot be too much extraction with KC BBQ. Go for one of those Paso Robles Zinfandels.

Ultimately, here are your tips. Rose almost always works. Serve your wines cooler than you ordinarily would. Be safe. Don't get behind the wheel. Enjoy your long weekend, assuming you get one.