BASICS: WINE WITH STEAK Leaner = Lighter – As a general rule, the leaner the red meat you are matching, the lighter the red wine you can use. A rich cut, such as prime rib, will pair nicely with a bold and high tannin red wine such as Petite Sirah or Cabernet Sauvignon. BASICS: WINE WITH LAMB Smooth Tannin – Because of lamb’s delicate texture and flavor, choose a bolder red wine with smoother tannin such as Syrah or Malbec. Learn about pairing wine with… When pairing wines with leaner cuts, look for light or medium-bodied red wines. These wines should have slightly higher acidity that will cut through the texture of the lean meat. A general rule to follow is to match the intensity of the dish with the wine; so if it’s top sirloin beef stew, a slightly bolder, medium red such as Sangiovese will do nicely! Fatty meats work great with bold red wines that have high tannin. The tannin is an astringent which works as a palate cleanser to ’scrape’ the fattiness from the inside of our mouth.

This is why bold reds, like Barolo or a Napa Cabernet, work so well with a filet! Lamb is a lot more delicate in flavor than most beef, so generally you can select lighter, more delicately flavored wines. Lamb also really takes on the flavor of the sauce, so consider the sauce when pairing. Opt for more medium-bodied wines or bold reds with smoother tannin. Need a few examples? Malbec, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Touriga Nacional and Petit Verdot will work wonders with lamb. Veal is one of the few red meats that can match with white and rosé wine. A great example of this is how the classic Viennese dish, wiener schnitzel, goes perfectly with Austrian Grüner Veltliner. Of course, in this scenario, the veal’s delicate flavors are maintained by the preparation method of frying, so take a moment to understand the preparation method and the sauce used when pairing. Just like with lamb, veal also really takes on the flavor of the sauce. Try pairing it with lighter reds such as Pinot Noir, Rosé of Sangiovese, Valpolicella (made with the local Italian Corvina grape) and Zinfandel.

Venison is a rich and sometimes gamey red meat. It’s also pretty lean. Look for rustic medium-bodied red wines. When you put the two together, the wines will taste fruitier and the meat will taste less gamey. best online wine and spirits Check out Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chianti, Valpolicella, and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.25 off wine when you buy 6 bottles The sauce is such an important aspect of wine pairing that you can get away with pairing an even wider variety of wines with red meat. best wine capFor instance, a great match with sweet and tangy Asian dishes like Korean BBQ pork ribs would be a slightly sweet Lambrusco, a bold and fruity South Australian Shiraz or a South African Pinotage.cheap wine bar central london

EXAMPLES: Sweet Tangy BBQ, Pomegranate and Molasses, Korean Barbecue, Mongolian Beef, Hoisin PAIRINGS: Look for fruity red wines: Lambrusco, Gamay, Australian Shiraz, California Syrah, Zinfandel, Primitivo, Negroamaro (from Puglia, Italy!)best sweet wine under 50 EXAMPLES: Mint Sauce, Chimichurri Sauce, Garlic Rosemarybest wine selection dc PAIRINGS: Look for fruity bold red wines with smoother, more well-integrated tannins such as Argentinian Malbec or Monastrell. If the dish uses a lot of raw garlic and onion, seek out medium reds with higher acidity to cut through the residual allium flavor, such as a Côtes du Rhône or a Carménère. EXAMPLES: Bordelaise, Demi Glace, Poutine Sauce, Red Wine Sauce PAIRINGS: Seek out more earthy, bold red wines including Bordeaux, reds from the Languedoc-Roussillon, and Northern Italian reds such as Barbera and Dolcetto.

EXAMPLES: Espagnole Sauce, Marinara Sauce PAIRINGS: Find medium-bodied red wines with ample acidity to match the acidity in the tomatoes: Sangiovese, Merlot, Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and Bardolino. EXAMPLES: Yoghurt Sauce, Blue Cheese Sauce, Béarnaise, Bechamel, Stroganoff, Peppercorn Sauce PAIRINGS: Cream sauces offer a wide variety of pairing options: With a yoghurt sauce look for Grenache or even a Rosé wine. With a peppercorn sauce, match with wines with peppery notes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz. With stroganoff opt for an earthy French Syrah. With lasagna topped with Bechamel, seek out a medium-bodied red like Valpolicella Ripasso. With Béarnaise, look for a bold red with more acidity, such as Bordeaux, Chilean Cabernet or Lagrein from Italy. Lighter red wines pair with leaner cuts and red meats that are served closer to the raw form. The magic of these pairings is the acidity of the light red cutting through the delicate texture of a rare steak.

Try them with Beef and Venison Tartare, Beef Pho, and Lamb Gyros. Medium red wines match with multi-ingredient dishes. For example, the following dishes really work with medium red wines: Bolognese Sauce, Beef Stew, Tomato-based Dishes, Lasagna, Hamburgers, Indian Lamb Curry, Nachos, Ragout, and Beef Bourgogne. Côtes du Rhône wines Tempranillo (Crianza level Rioja) Bold red wines compliment steaks, chops, and barbecue. The high tannin in bold red wines act as a palate cleansing astringent with fatty cuts of beef. Tempranillo (Reserva & Gran Reserva) See More Guides on Wine Pairing Food and Wine Chart Regional Wine and Cheese Pairing Ideas Do you like this post?It's common knowledge that red meat generally pairs best with red wine. And that rule applies even better to steak, whether braised or barbecued, herb-marinated or smothered in hickory barbecue sauce. Some people, of course, prefer to drink their favorite Chardonnay with anything and everything, including steak.

Yet, a tender top sirloin or dry-aged porterhouse needs to be balanced by the firm tannins and full-bodied mouthfeel that only a thick Cabernet Sauvignon or spicy Syrah can provide. Our diverse selection of top 10 steak wines includes bottles from Australia and Italy to Paso Robles and the Willamette Valley. Whatever your price range, you're bound to find something apt for a fancy dinner or a backyard BBQ. Shingleback "Black Bubbles" Sparkling Shiraz McLaren Vale, Australia While red wine grapes are often used in sparkling wines, especially in "blanc de noir" Champagnes, the fermenting juice is seldom left in contact with the grape skins long enough to turn a dark red hue. Australia, which makes some of the best Shiraz on the planet, uses the Rhône varietal to make sparkling wine, too. Shingleback's "Black Bubbles" displays a teasing balance of tart and sweet fruit flavors that, alongside a backbone of firm tannins, allow it to pair well with steak hot off the "barbie."

Adelsheim 2010 Ribbon Springs Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge, Oregon Established in 2005, Ribbon Ridge is Oregon's smallest AVA (American Viticultural Area) and is nested within the larger Chehalem Mountains and Willamette Valley AVAs. The 2010 Ribbon Springs Pinot Noir is one of Adelsheim's single vineyard bottlings. An earthy red wine, it is light in color and offers fragrant red berry aromas. The wine's soft tannins would pair well with veal or thin-sliced prime rib. Rootstock Cellars Cheeseburger Red Santa Barbara County, California While beer and burgers may come more readily to mind, this full-bodied red wine is designed for pairing with cheeseburgers and other grilled foods. Composed of 28 per cent Petite Sirah, 44 per cent Barbera and 28 per cent Syrah, Cheeseburger Red features jammy fruit flavors and firm tannins. Colterenzio 2011 Lagrein Alto Adige, Italy The Lagrein grape varietal is native to the Alto Adige (or South Tyrol) region of northern Italy. It produces highly acidic and tannic wines that are not so drinkable on their own, but pair well with red meats like beef and venison.

A dry, full-bodied wine, the Colterenzio 2011 Lagrein features ripe blackberry flavors with a hint of dark chocolate and spice. Niner Wine Estates 2007 Syrah, Bootjack Ranch Paso Robles, California Located in the middle of California's large Central Coast wine region, Paso Robles is best known for its red wines, especially those made from Rhône varietals like Syrah. Niner Wine Estates 2007 Syrah, Bootjack Ranch is a dark, inky-colored wine. On the nose, it offers pungent aromas of violet, plum, blackberries and wet stone. In the mouth, this Syrah's smoky and earthy flavors would pair well with the region's famed tri-tip. Casa de la Ermita 2008 Roble Jumilla, Spain Roble refers to a wine aged in oak barrels. The Casa de la Ermita 2008 Roble is aged for three months in new French oak before bottling. Composed of 80 per cent Monastrell (Mourvèdre) and 20 per cent Petit Verdot, it features nicely rounded fruit flavors and a touch of spice. Pair it with pork chops, ribs or black pepper steak.

Decoy 2010 Napa Valley Red Wine Napa Valley, California Every few years a new sub-appellation is carved out of Napa Valley. Duckhorn Wine Company's Decoy 2010 Napa Valley Red Wine includes grapes from eleven of the region's sixteen AVAs making it a rather representative blend. On the nose, it offers blackberry, blueberry and raspberry aromas with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. In the mouth, this Meritage offers fruity and woodsy flavors that allow it to pair well with venison and wild boar steaks. Arnaldo-Caprai 2005 Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano DOCG Umbria, Italy Some historians believe that Sagrantino vines were first brought to Umbria by followers of St Francis of Assisi in the thirteenth century. Like those barefoot friars, this Sagrantino di Montefalco displays a certain roughness and rusticity that aging hasn't completely softened. Its aromas are of ripe red fruit, vanilla and spice. The wine's full body, sturdy tannins and somewhat bitter finish make it an excellent companion for osso buco and bone-in ribeye.

Ravenswood 2009 Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, California Many of California's oldest vineyards are planted with Zinfandel — some more than 100 years old. They tend to produce wines with more complex flavors than their younger counterparts. This 2009 Old Vine Zinfandel boasts aromas and flavors of dried currants, plum, blackberry and spice. Its rich flavors and sturdy tannins make this Ravenswood wine an excellent accompaniment to grilled steaks, tri-tip and ribs. Inglenook 2009 CASK Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, California The 1941 vintage of this Cabernet Sauvignon received a perfect score of 100 points from Wine Spectator in 2000. Between those two dates, the historic Inglenook estate has had its share of ups and downs. Now fully restored by film director Francis Ford Coppola, Inglenook is once again making premium wines. Their 2009 CASK Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick, inky-colored wine. In the mouth, it displays rich black fruit flavors with a hint of licorice and clove.