How to Pair Wine With Steak – 6 Great Matches

Steaks are probably the most popular cuts of meat. They come in many different styles, and you can prepare them in various ways. While it might sound common to pair a good steak with a cold glass of beer, it is also possible to enjoy it with wine. And some steak and wine pairings are incredibly delicious. But which do work and why?

As a general rule, you should pair your steak with red wine. You need a wine that is bold enough to stand the fatty and meaty richness of the steak. But it should not overpower the dish with too aggressive tannins.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a versatile option that matches most types of steak. But depending on your specific preparations, other wines might be better matches. To learn the best wine pairings for specific steaks, keep reading:

• Ribeye Steak and Wine
• Filet Mignon and Wine
• Strip Cut and Wine
• T-Bone Steak and Wine
• Sirloin Steak and Wine
• Flank Steak and Wine

But first, let us define some basic rules about pairing steak and wine.

WHAT IS STEAK?

Generally, a steak is a slice of meat cut from muscle fiber. Depending on the cut, it can be either fatty and chewy or very lean and tender. And in some cases, it contains a bone.

While a steak can come from basically any animal, including boars, chicken, turkey, bison, or deer, most people refer to beef when using the term. In this article, we will focus on beef steaks and the best wines to pair with them.

BASIC RULES FOR PAIRING STEAK AND WINE

When looking for the best wine to pair with your steak, you have to consider the type of steak and the seasoning, sauce, and side dishes you serve with it. Follow these rules to get a better idea of the wine that matches your steak best:

• Red meat goes with red wine. That is true for beef cuts like steaks, too.
• The fattier a steak is, the more body needs the wine to stand it. So fatty steaks go with full-bodied wines, and lean steaks go with light-bodied wines.
• Acidic wines help clean your palate after a bite. Especially for fatty steaks, these wines are the right choice.
• Very tender steaks can be great with white wines. They should not be too light, though. Go for a full-bodied white, preferably from the New World.
• High-tannin wines are the right pairings for bloody (rare) preparations. If you prefer your steaks medium to well-done, low-tannin wines are better.
• In case you like your steak charred, you need a ripe wine with some sweetness. Go for a New World wine instead of one from the Old World.
• If you serve your steak with a creamy sauce like Bechamel, pair it with a full-bodied white wine.
• Sweet and fruity sauces bring out the acidity in a wine. Thus, you should pick a low-acidity wine to match them. Otherwise, the perceived tartness of high-acidity wines would ruin the meal’s flavors.
• Dark sauces with mushrooms are great with fruity wines. The combination of both creates a delicious contrast of earthy and fruity aromas.
• You can create another exciting contrast by pairing spicy seasonings and sauces with sweet wines.

With these rules in mind, finding the right wine for your steak is much easier. Nevertheless, let’s discuss some specific wine pairings for the most popular cuts of steak.

Ribeye Steak and Wine

A ribeye steak comes from the cow’s ribs. In many cases, it is served with the bone still attached. It is highly marbled and has a big layer of fat. These characteristics make the ribeye one of the richest and most flavorful cuts of steak. The easiest ways to prepare it are grilling and pan-frying.

If you like paprika-based seasoning for your steak, you can also pair it with a Bordeaux, for instance:

Filet Mignon and Wine

If you serve the meat with a heavy sauce, choose a bolder wine, for instance, a Sangiovese or a Merlot:

In case you are a white wine lover, try a New World Chardonnay. Especially those that aged in oak are fantastic matches for Filet Mignon:

Strip Cut and Wine

The New York Strip (or the Kansas Strip) is a cut from the short loin. It is boneless and less fatty than a ribeye. However, due to its tight texture, it is chewier and more flavorful than a filet cut. The best way to serve it is medium-rare to medium after grilling, frying, or broiling it.

T-Bone Steak and Wine

The right wine to pair with T-Bone steaks is a bold red with a decent tannin level. Syrah is bold enough to stand the meaty cut but not too heavy to overpower simple salt-and-pepper seasonings. Also, its aromas of black fruits add superbly to the delicate meat flavors.

If you serve the steak with a rich sauce, pair it with Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon:

A medium-bodied red wine is perfect to pair with sirloin steaks. It should have some tannins, but not too many. Merlot or Right-Bank Bordeaux wines work just fine. If you like your steak bloody, pick an Old World wine. For medium-cooked preparations, a New World Merlot is a better choice.

Flank cuts are pretty versatile in terms of wine pairing. They can be good with bolder as well as lighter red wines. To find the best match, you have to consider the sauce and the side dishes you serve with them. When in doubt, pick a Merlot. You cannot be wrong about this choice.

FINAL WORDS

Steaks are the stars of every barbeque. Due to their versatility, they are also great when pan-fried or oven-broiled, and they go with all types of sauces and side dishes. And a glass of good wine rounds up every steak preparation you can think of. With the details in this article, you are able to find your preferred steak and wine pairing and provide a great steak and wine dinner for your guests. Bon appetit!