What You Should Look For When Pairing Wine With Smoked Meat

Pairing wine with barbecue meats can be tricky, particularly if the meat is smoked since smoking tends to impart a strong, distinctive flavor. While you won't want the wine to be overpowered by the meat, it shouldn't compete with it, either. When in doubt, we like to turn to an expert for advice, so we caught up with chef Jordan Andino at the Heritage Fire Fest in Miami where he was partnering with Franciscan Estate wines. "I love this topic," he enthused. As he told us, "The art of pairing wines with grilling staples is a topic that I'm discussing with fellow foodies quite frequently." (We admire his adept alliteration.)

"When looking for wines to pair with fire-cooked meats, you should consider both aspects of what will cut through the dish and what might complement the flavor of the meat," Andino advised. If you're grilling something rich and fatty like pork, he suggested a bold wine like a cabernet. Something lighter like chicken, though, would be best served with a wine that complements the flavors in the seasonings or sauce. "For dishes that have a strong smokey taste," Andino said. "A varietal that is either fruit-forward, strong in acidity, or has an earthy undertone can harmonize nicely with those quintessential grilled flavors we all know and love."

Read more: The Highest-Rated Barbecue Sauces You've Probably Never Heard Of

Try These Wines With Smoked Meats

Whether you have a top-of-the-line pellet smoker or a DIY, transformed charcoal grill, you no doubt have your go-to favorite meats. Rest assured, there's a wine for each and every one of them, even if you're smoking a meat substitute such as seitan (which pairs well with a fruity Syrah). One general rule of thumb is to avoid wines with too much oak. Although it may seem counterintuitive (oak is wood, and smoking involves wood), too much tree flavor isn't a good thing. Instead, opt for fruitier wines. These tend to have slightly sweet and tangy notes which generally complement smoked meats. After all, this also describes the flavor profile of most types of barbecue sauce.

Getting more into specifics, smoked brisket pairs well with pinot noir and Syrah, but skip the zinfandel since these wines tend to clash with the smoky flavor. If smoked ribs are your pleasure, try a rosé. A light-bodied Riesling will complement both smoked chicken and fish, and its citrusy notes (as per Jordan Andino's advice) will pair perfectly with the lemon slices that are de rigueur for serving alongside the latter. Of course, if it's smoked salmon you're serving, you can never go wrong with a tart, bubbly sparkling wine.

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