South Carolina’s Rodney Scott made a name for himself cooking whole hog barbecue in the tiny middle-of-nowhere town Hemingway. In 2017, Scott left his family’s small restaurant behind and made for the bigger time of Charleston, opening Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ on North King Street, and in 2018 he won a James Beard Award for Best Chef - Southeast.

Carolina-style pulled pork, with its bold vinegar-based sauce, is one of the single hardest foods to pair with wine. While typically acid in wine matches with acid in the food, in this case the vinegar can be completely overpowering. After many tries, however, Mike Madaio was able to find a solid choice – Dolcetto d’Alba from Simone Scaletta. The fresh, fruity flavor refreshes without clashing, and a hint of black tea reminds one of the traditional Southern pairing - sweet iced tea.