What grows together, goes together.

That’s a good mantra when you start thinking about pairing Texas foods with Texas wines. Take a look at the origin of certain foods and the wines that are typically paired with them – from Spain’s Manchego cheese with that country’s beautiful Tempranillos to Argentina’s asado with bold Malbecs. 

The same holds true here in Texas with our regional cuisine – from barbecue and TexMex to Gulf seafood and local cheeses. 

Barbecue

Nothing screams Texas more than barbecue and Texas wines offer great choices for different cooking styles and cuts of meat. Here are our top suggestions for pairing Texas wines with BBQ:

• With smoked meats, choose fruit-forward wines that bring out (and don’t compete with) the BBQ. 
  • Barbecued beef ribs with a Bending Branch Winery Tannat or Petit Verdot aged in Texas white oak
• Higher fat meats help balance the tannins in bold reds
  • Slow smoked brisket with peppery notes with the cherry and leather notes of a Pedernales Cellars Tempranillo
• Meats with jalapeno or savory flavors pair happily with white wines with herbal notes
  • Barbecued chicken with the citrus and savory notes of the Spicewood Vineyards Estate Sauvignon Blanc
• Super spicy barbecue dishes need a wine with a hint of sweetness to downplay the heat and spice
  • Smoked pork sausage with the Duchman Family Winery Grape Growers BBQ White offers that hint of sweetness to manage spicy foods
• Most barbecue pairs well with Texas’ wide diversity of dry and off-dry rosé wines that offer fruity notes that don’t compete with the meats

Iconic Texas Dishes

Whether celebrating Texas Independence Day or just planning Labor Day weekend festivities, Texas wines pair perfectly with some iconic Texas recipes. 

Here are some great wines to pair with Tex-Mex and other Lone Star favorites from the “United Tastes of Texas” cookbook.

• Pork Carnitas with a Bending Branch Winery Tannat – braised in beer and spices, then crisped up before serving, this taco-style dish plays well with the rich notes of Tannat’s dried plum and fig
• Rajas Con Queso with Pedernales Cellars Aletheia Rosé – this queso is creamy and indulgent with just a little bit of spice, a perfect fit for the fruity but dry Aletheia Rosé
• Texas Strip Steak with Spicewood Vineyards The Independence – this Bordeaux-style blend is a great pairing for this bold, earthy and smoky steak – or a Bending Branch Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
• Brisket Tamales with any of the Tempranillos from Spicewood Vineyards, Pedernales Cellars, Bending Branch Winery and Duchman Family Winery

Gulf Coast Seafood

Texas has a bounty of fresh seafood – from Gulf shrimp to oysters. Texas’ top white wines – including Vermentino, Roussanne and Picpoul Blanc – offer lush whites with bright acidity to pair with grilled shrimp, blackened fish tacos, ceviche or a plate of oysters.

Here are some favorites to try:

• Cilantro-Serrano Chimichurri Redfish from the “United Tastes of Texas” cookbook with Duchman Family Winery Vermentino – crisp and vibrant, the Vermentino is a perfect sidekick to this redfish with chimichurri offering a lift to the smokiness of the grilled fish 
• Gulf Coast Crab Cake with a sparkling white or rosé – from the Bending Branch Tannat Frizzante and Pedernales Cellars Kyla to Spicewood Vineyards Sammie’s Sparkling, these wines will complement the fresh crab 
• Key Lime Texas Gulf Shrimp Penne with Spicewood Vineyards Estate Sauvignon Blanc
• Texas Gulf Shrimp Pesto Rice with Duchman Family Winery Roussanne
• Texas Gulf Shrimp Roll with Bending Branch Winery Picpoul Blanc
• Bali BBQ Texas Gulf Shrimp & Noodles with Pedernales Aletheia Rosé

Texas Cheeses

Texas is the fifth-largest dairy state in the nation and home to nearly 100 creameries. Similarly, Texas is the fifth-largest wine producing state in the country, so it only makes sense to pair Texas wines with Texas cheeses.

When it comes to pairing wine with cheese, there are few easy guidelines to follow.

• When in doubt – choose sparkling wine! Because cheese is fatty and coats the palate, bubbles help lift the fats off the tongue and leave your palate refreshed.
• Goat milk cheeses pair best with dry and/or fruity whites; sheep milk cheeses with big reds; and cows milk cheese with most anything.
• Pair complimentary flavors like fruit with fruit or acid with acid. Alternatively, pair contrasting flavors that work well together – like a sweet or off-dry wine with a salty blue cheese
• Pair similar body and textures – heavier cheeses can stand up to bigger, bolder red wines.

Here are some of our favorite Texas wine and Texas cheese pairings.

• Bending Branch Tannat Frizzante with Pure Luck Farm & Dairy June’s Joy goat’s milk cheese seasoned with honey, black pepper and thyme
• Duchman Family Winery Sangiovese with River Whey Creamery Indigo Ridge, a Gouda-style with Gruyère flair cheese
• Pedernales Cellars GSM Mélange with Eagle Mountain Farmhouse Cheese Granbury Gold Gouda-style cheese
• Spicewood Vineyards Tempranillo with Veldhuizen Cheese Fat Tailed Tomme, a Manchego-style cheese 

New recipes from Chef Antonio Ruiz, Duchman Family Winery, paired with Texas Fine Wines, ENJOY!