Steak and Wine Pairing
Earlier this week, we prepared the perfect steak along with an amazing take on the retro side dish — baked potato.
Of course, I’m thinking about wine pairings. Which wine should we pair with this meal? It’s easy to reach for a bottle of bold Cabernet Sauvignon and I agree, this is a classically great pairing with a great juicy steak. There are other options!
Here are a few of my favorite wine choices to pair with steaks.
Cabernet Sauvignon:
The classic big Cabernet Sauvignon has tons of tannins which pair perfectly with the rich protein of the steak. This is the classic combo and you cannot go wrong, especially with a rib eye or filet mignon. There are so many great Cabernet’s on the market with a range of prices. For a great Washington Cabernet Sauvignon I highly recommend Patterson Cellars 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. John Patterson makes approachable wines that are fun and delicious.
Malbec:
The Argentinian grape Malbec is also great with steaks. This is a no brainer since we all know how much the Argentinians love meat. Naturally they’d be known for producing a wine varietal that pairs perfectly. I recommend finding a full bodied Malbec, not a young, fruity bottle. Think of a Malbec for spiced hangar and flank steaks or New York cuts. One of my favorites is from Washington wine maker, Anna Schafer of àMaurice Cellars. She worked harvest in Argentina under a great winemaker so she has what it takes to know a good Malbec.
Chardonnay:
With Steak au Poivre, a lightly oaked Chardonnay is perfect. The peppery, creamy sauce is spicy and rich and what better way to compliment those flavors than with a chilled crisp slightly oaked Chardonnay? This crisp yet creamy wine cuts through the heaviness of the sauce and meat. My current favorite Chardonnay is Kestrels Old Vine Chardonnay which is 100% from the oldest Chardonnay producing vines in Washington State, dating back to 1972.
Blends:
Lastly, there a lot of great blends on the market; they can also be perfect for pairing with steak. The other night when we had filet mignon, we enjoyed a bottle from one of my favorite wine makers: Kasten Family Wines. Hasten makes what they call Big Ranch Red, which is a hearty yet smooth blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The big flavor paired perfectly and a little was used for our wine pan sauce. It was delicious. Buy a bottle for yourself, and tell them Shaun told you how amazing their wine is!
These are just three wines of my opinions for pairing with a steak. Now, over to you. I’d love to hear some of your favorite wine and steak pairings!
