Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is expanding beyond their nationally-acclaimed meat after recently releasing a new red wine — Pit Master Reserve.
The wine, which is currently available at the Moonlite store on Parrish Ave. and at J’s Liquors west on Parrish Ave., has been in the making for two years. It’s produced by the largest and most award-winning Kentucky winery — Purple Toad Winery out of Paducah.
Patrick Bosley, co-owner of Moonlite, said in a press release that the owners have spent the past two years working to find a winery they could partner with for this latest adventure.
“We’re excited that it’s a local connection,” he said. “Two Kentucky traditions have come together.”
Pit Master Reserve is produced and bottled in Kentucky. It’s a sweet red wine, a four on the sweetness scale, and derived from Purple Toad’s own fruits – Lauren’s Blackberry and Paducah Blue, according to Bosley.
“Barbecue is hot in the foodie culture. A quick search on the Internet about barbecue and wine will reveal a lot of pairing suggestions,” Bosley said. “It is no longer just about beer and ‘Q.’ Moonlite wanted to go one step further than just pairing a wine with barbecue we wanted to embrace Kentucky’s heritage and find a wine worth putting our name on.”
Beverly Knapp, senior sales clerk at J’s Liquor on Parrish Ave., said the whole team at J’s is excited to be selling the new wine.
“We’re right down the road from Moonlite, so it makes perfect sense that we’re the first to sell it,” she said. “It’s a good wine and we’re excited to be selling it. We want people to come visit the restaurant and then come visit us.”
While the tasting and selection process took time, the perfect blend to accompany Moonlite’s hickory-smoked barbecue was finally found.
“It’s not a snobby wine, but a country wine that’s fit for the best barbecue around,” Bosley said. “You won’t hear the symphony play as you sip it, but you may catch a whisper of the banjo or the wail of the fiddle. It’s kind of like drinking your granddad’s homemade wine.”
Currently, Master Pit Reserve is only available at J’s Liquor at 2509 W. Parrish Ave. and by the bottle or glass in the dining room at Moonlite
