Playing with fire: barbeque wines

Art Culinaire, Summer, 2003

BARBEQUE STYLES ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE LOYAL CROWDS that enjoy this popular American style of cooking, which originated in the southern and border states. Although Tennessee, Kansas, the Carolinas, and Texas are most renowned for their famous barbeques, the popularity of this style of cooking has spread throughout the United States, including major metropolitan cities.

Using what were considered "throwaway" cuts of meat--such as pork jowls and ribs--barbequing provided an economic means of feeding a family. Eventually, whole hog barbecue became a tradition of the Carolinas. Better known as "pig pickin," this style of barbecue involves laying a whole barbecued hog on a table with diners picking and enjoying its tender meat. "Pulled pork" is another style of barbecue. Most often comprised of pork shoulder, the meat is cooked until it almost literally falls from the bone and can easily be pulled off by hand. Actually, opinions differ as to what part of the hog makes for the best barbecue. Some barbecue aficionados prefer using the fattest muscle on the hog known as the Boston butt while others prefer the hind leg of the animal known as fresh ham.

Just as the cut of meat is important to barbecue, so are the many types of barbecue sauces available to enhance the meat's flavor (not to mention the many types of fuels and cooking times involved in the process). Most barbecue sauces are tomato-based and encompass a myriad of spices such as chili powder, paprika, and cumin. But the sky's the limit when coming up with a sauce concoction, and mustards, cloves, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and lemon are just a few available choices of ingredients in a good barbecue sauce mix.

The combination of flavorful barbeque sauce ingredients as well as the various smoky tastes produced by cooking meats over different woods might make choosing a compatible cool summer wine seem intimidating. However, the matching challenge is not as daunting once you know what to look for. The trick is to remember that each wine and each food is made up of many components and it's the simpatico relationship between all of these components that makes for a successful pairing.

Which wine?

Dry and semi-dry roses or blush wines exhibit fresh and fruity flavors and have a moderately high level of acidity. They work well with most foods that are traditionally paired with light to medium-bodied white wines as well as light to medium-bodied reds. What makes them unique is their versatility and their ability to bring out the fruity acidity of tomato-based barbecue sauces. Because of their intense fruit background, they also tend to complement very spicy dishes. Bandol, Tavel, Bardolino Chiaretto, Grenache, and Rose of Pinot Noir are just samples of wines that celebrate the flavors of barbecued food.

Roses or blush wines that border on the sweet side also pair well with informal food such as barbecue. Lower in alcohol than their drier counterparts, they bring out the savory and spicy aspects of barbecued foods. White Zinfandel is one wine that exhibits sweet and jammy fruit flavors and is a perfect accompaniment to fruit and tomato-based barbecue sauce.

Medium to full-bodied whites that haven't been oak-aged possess a bit of complexity, thus giving them the power to either complement or contrast with a flavorful dish. If your barbecue is moderately spicy or has the flavors of charred meat, a medium to full-bodied white will make for a great pairing as they exude freshness and appealing citrus and tropical fruit tastes and aromas. Any barbecued item that has a fruit-based barbecue sauce will also be complemented by a medium to full-bodied white that hasn't seen the inside of an oak barrel. With their fresh acidity and subtle tastes of pear, apple, and citrus, dry Rieslings from Germany and Alsace round out a simple preparation of barbecued chicken.

Light to medium-bodied dry red wines readily pair with barbecue. Rather than simply providing a cool drink to sip on a hot summer day, wines such as Gamay-Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, and Grignolino are just examples of an array of simple and Fruity wines that contribute to the personality and distinctive flavors of barbecued food. California Gamay-Beaujolais and Barberas--known as "hamburger reds"--are also barbecue-friendly.

And don't rule out some of the fuller bodied reds as barbecue partners--just be sure to choose those of a drier style. Even a hearty Brunello di Montalcino provides richness to the palate and easily matches the fullness of barbecued, fatty red meat.