How-To: Pair Wine and Different Types of BBQ

Its that time of year again. Time to fire up the grill and cook some meat. While most people think you should stick to beer with BBQ, don't discount a nice glass of wine. Of course, what wine you pick is all dependent on what style of BBQ you are going for.

North Carolina: Whole hog smoked over wood coals with a light sauce of vinegar and pepper.
  Flavor  Profile: Smoke, Fat, Spice 
  Pair With: Look for something with a bit of a bite of its own, like Lemberger

South Carolina: Whole hog smoked over wood coals with a strong mustard sauce
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat, Spice, Earthy
  Pair With: Bigger Italian reds, like Chianti Classico with a mix of fruit and darker flavors

Tennessee: Pork ribs, usually dry rubbed, but sometimes with a tomato and vinegar sauce
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat, Acid
  Pair With: Some bigger, bolder flavors Zinfandel

Kansas City: The meat varies, but its usually smothered in a tomato and molasses sauce
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat, Fruit, Acid, Sweet
  Pair With: Something with a sweet edge, like a Pinot Noir

Central Texas: Beef Brisket and pork ribs smoked over wood coals, with nothing more than salt and pepper.
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat
  Pair With: The classic of a big Cabernet Sauvignon with the traditional meat flavors

East Texas: Smoked pork shoulder and beef brisket, with a light tomato sauce
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat, Spice, Fruit, Acid
  Pair With: The rounder flavors of Merlot

Outside the US, the traditions are a bit different:
Korean: More grilling than traditional BBQ, this style tends to use meats marinated in a sauce of soy sauce, sugar, oil, garlic and pepper.
  Flavor Profile: Fat, Spice, Salty
  Pair With: a surprising range of whites, like Sauvignon Blanc

"Mongolian": Invented in Taiwan, this is a style of cooking a collection of meats and other ingredients with varying sauces on a grill.
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat
  Pair With: almost anything, depending on the other ingredients you pick

Asado or Churrasco: The South American style of grilling piles of meat, carefully stacked so dripping fats work to keep the less fatty meats and offal moist. 
  Flavor Profile: Smoke, Fat
  Pair With: the big spicy flavors of Argentine Malbec