The Best Wine and Steak Pairings

Some things in life are meant to go together—peanut butter and jelly, apple pie and ice cream, grilled cheese and tomato soup. One of our favorite food pairings is steak and wine. There is something undeniably satisfying about enjoying the robust, hearty flavor of a well-cooked steak balanced by the depth and complexity of a great wine.

So, don’t just stick to your favorite bottle of red. Knowing which wine to pair with different cuts of steak can take your dining experience to a new level.

Whether you’re a seasoned wine lover, an aspiring home cook or a steak enthusiast, our guide aims to enhance your culinary prowess.

We’ll explore the art of pairing steak and wine, providing insights into the subtleties of flavor profiles and the impact of cooking methods and sauces to unveil the magic when the right steak meets the right wine…

The Basics of a Steak and Wine Pairing

While some full-bodied, oaked white wines, such as Chardonnay or Viognier, may work with steak, the general rule is to drink red wine with red meat.

Tannins in red wine break down the meat’s fats, amplifying the delectable beef flavor. At the same time, the fat mitigates the wine’s astringency, tempering the drink and resulting in a lusher, more fruit-forward taste profile.

Another good rule of thumb is to pair like with like. So, match lean cuts of steak with lighter red wines and richer, fattier cuts with full-bodied red wines that are high in tannins. High acidity should also be considered, as it helps cut through the rich fat for a more balanced meal.

When cooking steak, there are several ways it can be seasoned, but the most common way is the classic salt and black pepper. This combo is so popular because of its versatility—you can pair your steak with most wines and sides and still have a delicious experience. But if your steak is seasoned with herbs or spices, you might want to factor those in to find a wine pairing that complements those flavors.

Best Wines for Popular Steak Cuts

New York Strip

A classic steak cut, New York Strip is tender and lean but still packs flavor. It’s best served medium-rare and well-rested to make it succulent and tender.

Pair it with a medium-to full-bodied red wine such as a Syrah or a Shiraz—opt for one brimming with juicy red fruit and vanilla flavors.

Ribeye

As the name implies, ribeye comes from the rib area of the cow, between the loin and the shoulder. One of the larger cuts of steak, this muscle works very little, making it luxuriously tender and needing very little cooking.

Since it’s marbled with fat, ribeye steaks can be described as buttery and tender. To get the most out of this cut, ribeyes are best cooked between medium-rare and medium—just long enough to allow the marbled fat to melt, maximizing the flavor.

You’ll want a wine that can stand up to this juicy cut. A Cabernet Sauvignon is just the wine for the job, with bold red fruit and black pepper and spice notes, a rich finish and firm tannins.

Porterhouse

A porterhouse steak is one of the most popular and common cuts available in grocery stores and restaurants. It’s also known by various names, including a Kansas City Strip and a New York Strip.

The fat content in porterhouses can vary, some are leaner and others feature more marbling. Those with more fat tend to be juicier, meaning how the porterhouse is cooked, and for how long, can seriously impact your eating experience.

Porterhouses have a complex and meaty flavor, so you’ll need to pair it with an equally complex wine.

Just as succulent and rich, with layers of blue and black fruit flavors and a medium- to-full body, our Tri-Tip Red Wine 2019 is named after a classic California cut of beef, making it a worthy partner.

Tenderloin

Despite being one of the most expensive cuts of steak, a tenderloin steak is pretty small compared to a porterhouse or ribeye. This is because tenderloin is found towards the end of a cow’s backbone, where it doesn’t move as much and doesn’t grow. The result is a small, but luxuriously tender, cut of meat that melts in the mouth with very little fat.

Loved for its smokiness, subtle spices and full body, a red Zinfandel typically offers flavors of cranberry, blueberry, and black pepper, making it a prime partner for a tenderloin steak.

Filet mignon

Literally translated as “cute or dainty filet,” filet mignon is a popular choice with steak lovers. Soft, buttery and incredibly flavorful, it’s a steak cut prized for its delicate, almost sweet flavor.

Taken from the thinner end of the tenderloin, a filet mignon is a relatively lean, smaller cut—though it’s mighty in every way that matters to a steak lover, with its subtle beef flavor and buttery texture when cooked to perfection. A French Merlot is the obvious choice to pair with a filet mignon—smooth, medium-bodied and bursting with velvety, black-fruit flavors.

T-bone

Big in size and big on flavor, a T-bone offers steak lovers the best of both worlds—all the taste of a sirloin but with the tenderness of a filet.

Cut from the middle of the cow’s back, the thoracic vertebrae bone splits this steak (hence the name), creating a smaller filet than a porterhouse cut. Although it’s a leaner, more tender steak option, it has big, beefy flavors that demand a full-bodied wine to match.

Opt for a full-bodied Argentinian Malbec with a rich finish and flavors of plum and toasted spices, for a luxurious final touch to complement your meal.

Tips for Choosing the Best Wine with Steak

Don’t Forget the Sides

No steak meal is complete without those classic sides—think mac ‘n’ cheese, creamed spinach, fries, dressed lettuce wedges, baked potatoes and slaw. Make sure the sides you choose complement both the natural flavors and meatiness of your steak and the flavors of your wine.

Add Flavor with the Sauce

To add extra flavor and a little extra luxury, some like to pair their steaks with a steak sauce—think a fresh salsa verde, a creamy peppercorn, a rich Béarnaise or a zesty chimichurri. But because these sauces have such distinct flavors, you might need to adjust your wine choice to avoid having one overpower the other.

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

We’re all guilty of sticking to what we like, but when you consider how many different cuts of steak there are, the opportunities for discovering the best wine and steak pairings are endless. Like wine varieties, many steak cuts have similarities, so you don’t need to go too far out of your comfort zone for something new and delicious.

Wine isn’t just a pairing for your steak. Searching for the best wine and steak pairings allows wine and steak lovers to experiment, mix and match flavors, jumping in and out of their comfort zone on a whim. We guess you’ll have to keep experimenting and trying all our red wines until you find the right steak and wine pairing for you...

Discover our full range of red wines that can be delivered straight to your door.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelby, Personal Wine Advisor

I found myself in the world of wine a decade ago. I’ve travelled, I’ve tasted, I’ve met some of my wine “rockstars!” I pride myself on being a resource for those seeking their own wine journey.

WSET – Level 2 Wines & Spirits Certified

Beefy Cabs • Aged Malbec • Southern Italian Blends • Portuguese Reds • Châteauneuf- du-Pape (my favorite!)

kelby@laithwaites.com | (203) 523-2159