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Meat · Wine pairing

What wine goes with BBQ ribs?

Sweet, smoky barbecue needs a ripe, fruity red that won’t taste sour next to the sauce: Zinfandel, Australian Shiraz or Petite Sirah.

The rule: The wine should be at least as fruity as the sauce is sweet.

By Rate This Wine editors · Updated · How we rate

BBQ ribs

Photo: WorldwrestlingfederationVKM, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The 3 best wines with BBQ ribs

  1. Zinfandel

    1 Zinfandel Bold, fruity red

    America’s barbecue wine: jammy fruit and spice match sweet, sticky sauce.

    Serve 60-65°F Good bottles $12-$30

  2. Syrah / Shiraz

    2 Syrah / Shiraz Full-bodied red

    Australian Shiraz brings ripe blackberry and smoke.

    Serve 60-65°F Shiraz from $10; Northern Rhône Syrah $30+

  3. Petite Sirah

    3 Petite Sirah Very full-bodied red

    Inky and powerful for smoked brisket and beef ribs.

    Serve 60-65°F From $12

Best on a budget: Lodi Zinfandel or a Barossa Shiraz for around $15.

Also good

MalbecGrenache (Garnacha)Carménère

What to avoid

  • Lean, high-acid reds like Chianti. Sweet sauce makes them taste sour.
  • Delicate Pinot Noir. Smoke and sugar flatten its subtlety.

It depends how you cook it

If you’re having…Pour
Carolina vinegar sauceTangy sauce suits a dry rosé or Beaujolais.
Dry rub (Memphis)Syrah or Grenache.
Korean BBQOff-dry Riesling or Zinfandel.

Frequently asked questions

Does red or white wine go with BBQ?

Mostly red: ripe Zinfandel or Shiraz. If you prefer white, an off-dry Riesling handles sweet and spicy rubs.

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