Smoked Meat Deserves Better Than Beer
Midtown · Kansas City · Barbecue · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Q39’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're here for brisket and burnt ends, and nobody's pretending otherwise — but Q39 actually put some thought into a wine list instead of just stapling a Malbec and a Chardonnay to the cocktail menu. It's modest, it's approachable, and it mostly stays in its lane. That's not a knock; it's a choice.
Forty to sixty bottles anchored heavily in California, with a few international detours that suggest someone at least skimmed a wine map. You get the expected Zinfandel and Pinot Noir from CA, which make honest sense next to smoky meats, plus a Silk & Spice Red Blend from Portugal that's a welcome left turn. The Altocedro from Argentina and the Y3 Taureau round out the upper tier, showing a little ambition without overreaching. Serious collectors will find nothing to chase here, but serious collectors probably aren't eating ribs off butcher paper either.
Ten to fifteen pours in the $11–$16 range gives you real options without decision fatigue — that's the right size for a barbecue joint. Rotation appears limited, so don't expect the list to surprise you on a return visit. Summer Water rosé is on there, which is either a crowd-pleaser win or a soft eye-roll depending on your mood.
Silk & Spice Red Blend (Portugal) — $38
A Portuguese red blend at the entry price point of the list is genuinely solid value — fruit-forward, a touch spicy, and built to hang with smoked meat without getting lost in the sauce.
Altocedro
Most people walk past anything unfamiliar on a BBQ wine list and grab the Zin. Skip that instinct — Altocedro from Argentina brings enough structure and dark fruit to earn its spot next to the brisket, and most of the table will order something else.
Summer Water
It's fine rosé doing exactly what it says on the label, but you can grab this at any grocery store for less. At restaurant markup, there's no story here — pick almost anything else on the list.
Zinfandel (CA) + Burnt Ends
Burnt ends are fatty, caramelized, and aggressively smoky — California Zinfandel with its jammy fruit and peppery backbone is one of the few wines that can actually hold its ground against that. It's not subtle, but neither is the dish.
The Bottom Line
Q39 isn't a wine destination, but it's not an afterthought either — fair prices, a list that actually thinks about the food, and enough options that you won't be stuck drinking beer by default. Send your friend here if they want good BBQ and don't want to think too hard about the wine.
Kansas City · Kansas City · Italian
Osteria Il Centro punches well above its neighborhood bistro billing — this is a serious Italian wine list in a city that doesn't always get serious Italian wine lists. The markup stings and there's no sommelier to guide you through the depth, but if you know what you want or ask the right questions, you'll eat and drink very well here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Crossroads / Westside border (Southwest Boulevard) · Kansas City · Spanish tapas / small plates
La Bodega is the Wild Card Kansas City didn't know it needed — a genuinely Spain-focused wine list with fair pricing and a half-price Monday that should be on everyone's weekly calendar. Send your friends here, especially on a Wednesday when the paella and a Rioja Reserva are waiting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Columbus Park / Downtown Fringe · Kansas City · Classic Italian-American
Garozzo's is a Kansas City institution, and the wine list knows its lane — Italian classics, middle-of-the-road pricing, and zero pretension. Send a friend here for the Spiedini and a Chianti; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brookside / East Brookside · Kansas City · Seafood-focused American / Oyster Bar
Earl's Premier is a wild card in the best possible way: a thoughtfully curated, seafood-focused wine list hiding in a Kansas City neighborhood spot. Send your oyster-loving friends here and tell them to start with bubbles.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Jax KC isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't need to be — but the list is smarter than the room might suggest, with a few genuine standouts that reward paying attention. Send a friend here for oysters and Sancerre, and tell them to skip the markups on anything California.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Freight House / Crossroads · Kansas City · Italian
Lidia's is a reliable Italian wine destination with a focused list and real sommelier knowledge behind it — the markups sting on the entry-level bottles, but Wednesday half-price wine night changes the math entirely. If you're going any other night, aim high on the list where the value is better.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
· Branson · Barbecue
Come to Gettin' Basted for the barbecue — not the wine. The $5 house pour is a service item, not a program, and there's no evidence anyone is minding the cellar (or even has one). Order a beer, enjoy the smoke, and don't think about wine until you're somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newberg · Barbecue
Storrs Smokehouse is a Wild Card in the truest sense: a no-frills BBQ joint sitting in one of the best wine regions in the country, doing something quietly interesting with a local-leaning list. We'd send a wine-curious friend here without hesitation — just go in knowing you're choosing adventure over depth, and let the smoked meat do the heavy lifting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Peoria · Peoria · Barbecue
Come to The Blue Duck for the ribs, the whiskey, and the riverfront view — not the wine list. If wine is your thing, order the Decoy and move on; if it's not, you're in the right place anyway.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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