Once you decide which part of the country your heart–and stomach–reside in, plan to pair your barbecue of choice with a top-notch beverage. Cooking Light suggests serving a smoky brisket with a similarly smoky beer, like Germany's Aecht Schlenkerla Maerzen beer. The editors also recommend matching a California-style dish with a full-throttle merlot, such as Gainey Merlot 2004, to really bring out the flavor of the salsa. Great Barbecue Wines