The smell of a sizzling grill on a sunny afternoon with the kids running around and a Filet Mignon getting ready is the prevailing vista when you think about American summers. The summer is a great time to have family around and have some quality time bathing in the glorious summer sun.
Your New York Strip Steak would wash down well with a bottle of wine, and sure enough, you must have one cooling and waiting to be served. If not, then you need not worry because we are here to help you to know what wine pairs the best with different variations of steak.
The Basic Rules To Eat Steak and Wine
The general rule of thumb when it comes to wine pairingshas to do with the kind of meat you are preparing.Lean red meatgoes well with a lighter variety of red wine.Prime rib and other rich cutsshould ideally be paired with a red wine with high tannin.
Bold varieties, such asCabernet SauvignonorPetite Sirah, are some of the wine types to go for in this case.Lambis loved for the delicate flavor and texture. That should not be spoiled by a wine that istoo overpowering. For this meal, you arebetter off going for a bold wine, but withfiner tanninssuch asPetit VerdotorMalbec.Remember this, and you should be fine, even if you are not so good with the brands and grape types. Your local liquor shop should help you get the best for your type of occasion. As long as you are able to describe the quality of wine you desire, that is.
Thinking of staying in instead and cooking with your wine? Check out“Best Wines to Use for Cooking”.
Wine with Veal Steak
There are very few red meats that can be paired with rosé or white wine, and veal happens to be one of them. One prime example of this exquisite pairing iswiener schnitzel, a Viennese dish. This perfectly matches a bottle ofGrüner Veltliner, an Austrian white wine. One thing you need to note about this pairing, and this will apply for every wine pairing you make,is the kind of sauce used.
The preparation method succeeds in preserving the delicate flavors thatcan easily be stifled with the wrong cooking method. This is important for veal and lamb as well since both types of meat soak in the sauce and absorb the flavor.
Veal is well paired withlight profile reds— such asValpolicella, Rosé of SangioveseorPinot Noir. You can also pickZinfandel,which pairs just as well.
Not too sure yet what kind of wines to pick out to pair with your meals? Give“Best Wine for Beginners”a look to see some wine options.
Wine with Lamb Steak
While beef is rarely overpowered by the spicing and accompaniments, lamb, on the other hand, has a much moredelicateflavor.Generally, you want to pair this type of meat with a wine that has a lighter flavor profile.
As aforementioned, the meat takes on the flavor of yourchoice of sauce, so pay extra attention in this department! Some of the examples you can use for lamb includePetit Verdot,Sirah, Malbec,Petite Sirah, andTouriga Nacional.
Pairing Wine with Beef Steak
There are two types of pairings when it comes to beef, and these have to do with the cut. There are wine pairings for lean cuts and those for fatty cuts. Let’s start with wine matches for lean cuts.
Lean Cuts
Pairlight or medium-bodied red wineswith the lean cuts. These are wines with a high acidity level that can cut through the lean meat. For lean cuts, follow the general rule that the strength of the wine is determined by the strength of the dish. For instance, if you are preparing thetop sirlointype ofbeef stew, then pair it with a red such asSangiovese, which is bolder, thus the perfect match.
Fatty Beef Cuts
Fatty meat isaccompanied by a red wine that is bold with lots of tannins.The harsher the tannin, the better as it will work to scrape off the fat from the mouth. Have you ever wondered why filets just have to go with a wine like aNapa CabernetorBarolo?Well, now you know why.
Wine to Pair with Venison Steak
Venison is arich type of red meatthat needs a wine pairing thatwill not clashwith the rustic flavors. In this case, ask for amedium-bodiedwine of theChianti, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Valpolicella, Côtes du Rhônefamily. All these are medium-bodied wines that preserve the bucolic taste of the meat.
The perfect matchdepends on the type of sauceyou are using. Mastering how to pair your wines according to the sauces you are using can let you get away with a wide variety of wine selections. An example is matchingLambruscowith Asian dishes, such as pork ribs done in the Korean BBQ style. Both have a sweet flavor that will match excellently. APinotagefrom South Africa or theShirazof South Australia also has the same kind of fruity taste you are looking for.
Green Sauces
Some sauces in this class include Chimichurri sauce, Mint sauce or a sauce of Garlic Rosemary. These go well with abold redwine with afruity flavorandhigh tanninssuch asMonastrellorArgentine Malbec.Dishes prepared using a lot of onion and raw garlic are best paired withmedium reds that have high acidity.
Tangy Sauces
Theseare the most common types for backyard grillsand include Pomegranate and Molasses, Sweet Tangy BBQ, Korean barbecue, Hoisin and Mongolian Beef. These can be paired withred wines with a fruity flavorthe likes ofCalifornia Syrah,Australian Shiraz,Lambrusco Gamay, orZinfadel.
Matching Your Wine to Your Meat
When it comes to wine, there is a lot to find out, and you are always discovering something new about your favorite one. Matching your wine to your meat is just as much of an adventure as anything else about the drink. Go ahead and find your matches; just remember not to pair bold wines with lean meat or vice versa, and you should be fine.
What wines do you drink with steak? Whats your favorite sauce and wine combination?Let us know in the comments below.
Thank you for reading! Be sure to check out our main pageWine On My Timeand enhance your wine knowledge with additional Wine on My Time articles like“How to Make Wine Taste Better”,“What is Cooking Wine?”, or even“What is the Best Wine for Weddings?”
Wine on My Timeis a resource blog for wine lovers all across the world! We take pride in delivering the best quality wine material for our readers. Check us out onInstagramandPinterestfor daily wine content!
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