A selection of BBQ-friendly white wines from the BBQ Smokehouse Catering Restaurant wine list.

White Wines & Sparkling Wines:
Absolutely great with smoked pork & chicken!

White Wines: Reds are my favorite with BBQ but some white wines will work as well, especially with Pulled Pork and Chicken. Look for lean fruity whites with bright steely flavors to cut through the rich and sometimes fatty flavors of BBQ.

Fuggetabout most California Chard. Its usually too oakey and buttery. You are better off with a French Chablis style wine. The crisp, bright, flinty flavors will cut through the rich, tongue coating qualities of BBQ. Many of the more inexpensive whites at your local wine shop will fit the bill perfectly.

Try Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Muscadet, Verdichhiio, and Pinot Gris. I have heard that Moscato from the Texas hill country is a dessert wine that’s just right with BBQ Chicken. When I try it I’ll let you know. If you try it first, drop a note in the feedback box below with your impression.

It’s funny to think of wine coming from Texas, but I’ll bet that Texans think its funny that Californians think they know what BBQ is. Touché!

Sparkling Wines: Practically any sparkler from California, Spain or Italy will be great with BBQ. Those tiny bubbles will scrub your palate and make each bite of Que taste like your first.

At the lower end of the price scale, you can pick up a bottle of Proseco at Trader Joe’s for around 5 bucks. Its light, floral, fruity and great at a Summer afternoon BBQ. Cold Duck and Asti Spumante are of the same ilk and price range. Blush sparkling wines are especially good with BBQ.

Moving up in price, Cava from Freixenet is good for around $9.00 and Segura Vida (also from the Ferrer family) is an excellent value for about $14.00 and is a personal favorite. (Pedro and Beonia Ferrer, if you are reading this, please know how fondly I look back on my trip to Spain and your kind hospitality). Now you are moving into the price range of California sparkling wine as well. Whatever your budget is, there are a lot to choose from.