PINOT NOIR IS PRIME WINE FOR PRIME RIB, CHRIS’S SAYS (2024)

FAQs

Is Pinot Noir good with prime rib? ›

Pinot Noir: While not as recommended as previous options, the right Pinot Noir can pair nicely with prime rib, especially if the dish is lighter in style with minimal seasonings. Look for a Pinot Noir with a judicious use of oak to add weight and depth.

Pinot Noir is higher in acidity but tends to be lower in alcohol content resulting in a light refreshing taste, adding to the flavor of the filet mignon without being overpowering. Feel free to choose a heartier pinot noir if the steak is prepared with a peppercorn sauce or other big flavor accompaniment.

But with a roasted prime rib, you don't need such a bold wine. While a Cabernet would be a solid choice, something more medium-bodied such as a Zinfandel or Merlot would also pair nicely. My personal favorite is a blend of primarily Zinfandel with bolder Petite Sirah and Syrah added in small amounts.

A nice Cabernet Sauvignon is a great choice. Filet Mignon. A nice dry red wine like a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon or a wine made from the Sangiovese grape from the Tuscany Region of Italy. If it's a special occasion or you just want to go all out, try a nice Brunello di Montalcino Riserva.

Pinot Noir, a versatile and elegant red wine known for its red fruit, earthy, and floral notes, is an excellent choice for pairing with steak. Its lighter body, bright acidity, and moderate tannins make it a perfect companion for various cuts of beef, particularly those with a more delicate flavor profile.

Fattier cuts like a rib-eye may benefit from a more robust, bolder wine with higher tannin. A French-style dish that involves cooking the beef in red wine. Beef Bourguignon quite literally translates to 'Burgundian beef', therefore a big and bold Pinot Noir-based Burgundy would make the perfect combo.

Wines with a heavier tannic profile, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec, are better suited to well marbled cuts such as ribeye and strip steak, while lighter tannins, such as those in Pinot Noir or Syrah, are a more desirable choice with leaner cuts like filet mignon or top sirloin.

“Although virtually all red wines have almost no residual sugar, pinot noir typically has a lower initial sugar level before fermentation, resulting in a wine with less alcohol and fewer calories than, say, your average cabernet,” Appleby explained.

Prime rib has a large “eye” of meat in the center, which is juicy, tender, and marbled with fat. This eye has a fat-marbled muscle around it, and the whole thing is surrounded by a thick cap of fat. This means that prime rib is tender, juicy, and extremely flavorful because the muscles aren't heavily used.

What makes the best prime rib? ›

What's the Best Cut of Prime Rib? The first cut (sometimes labeled the small end or the loin end) comes from the hind of the standing rib roast near the loin. It's more expensive and generally regarded as the best cut because it has less connective tissue than the second cut and therefore is more tender.

Pinot Noir is generally a dry wine. The process of fermentation typically goes uninterrupted to ensure the sugar in the grapes fully converts to alcohol, resulting in a drier wine with a lower sugar content. Pinot Noir is almost always a dry wine and tends to be medium-bodied with low tannins and palpable acidity.

The majority of Pinot Noir wines are red, but can also be leveraged to produce fantastic rosé (look for the Inman Family "Endless Crush" OGV Estate Rosé for a joyous and complex example). Pinot Noir is also one of the three main grape varieties in Champagne, alongside Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.

While it may not seem as dry as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Tempranillo at first taste, Pinot Noir is a dry wine by nature. Wine that is considered dry, is a wine style that refers to any wine with less than 3% residual sugar. Wines with 3% – 5% residual sugar would be referred to as “off-dry.”

What not to pair with Pinot Noir. Based on this principle, the subtlety of Pinot Noir not best matched with seafood choices such as herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and mussels. In addition, spicy foods tend to decrease the flavor intensity of the wine while increasing its astringency.

Pairing Prime Rib with Wine

This is when the young, bold wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon come in. The marbling in Prime Rib interacts with the harsh tannins of the young Cabernet bringing out the great fruit taste. Some other excellent wines to pair with a Prime Rib include a Syrah, Rhône Valley, Rioja or Barolo.

Which wine goes well with beef steak, Merlot or Pinot Noir? Either would work well. The Merlot is usually a better match, but some people are sensitive to tannins and prefer the less tannic Pinot.