Beef Steak Wine Pairing

8th February 2019 | Pairings & Recipes | 7 minute read

Beef Steak and Wine Pairing

By Nathan Wadlow

We all know wine works wonders when paired with a beautiful piece of beef steak. But does the choice of wine you pair with it matter? Absolutely.

As a general rule, the leaner the meat, the lighter the wine, which in the case of beef steak will mostly always be red. There are however so many different variants to bear in mind – the cooking technique, accompaniments on the plate, and of course sauces. To keep things simple, our head wine buyer has teamed up with Field and Flower to give you the run down on the perfect wines to match quality cuts of beef. These are pairings which are just meant to be and will set you on the right path to steak and wine success.

Fillet Steak with Grenache

Fillet Steaks with Wine

The most tender of steaks because this muscle does very little work. Running along the back of the animal this popular cut can also be found as one half of the T-bone steak. Best cooked blue, rare or medium rare on a dry griddle or in a pan with butter. Season after cooking to avoid scorching the pepper in the pan.

Wine to pair: Les Galets d’Estezargues 2017

This is a luscious French gem and a real treat when paired with meats, particularly barbequed or griddled beef. There’s no doubt this will be a beautiful match with a quality piece of fillet – fruity and balanced with lashings of strawberry and cherry, and not too overpowering, working with the star on the plate without dominating it. Perfect.

Chateaubriand Steak with Malbec

The chateaubriand is the centre cut of the fillet with the tail and thick end removed by the butcher. This piece of fillet is used in the popular beef wellington dish. The chateaubriand is often used as a dinner party centre piece and carved at the table into medium slices and served with chimichurri béarnaise sauce. Recommended cooking methods are to sear in a heavy based pan and then to transfer to the oven for roasting. Best cooked rare, medium rare.

Wine to pair: Perez Cruz Carmenere Malbec 2017

This is one of best rated wines from one of our most popular winemakers. Pair with anything rich and hearty and you’re in for a treat. The unique blend of Carmenere and Malbec grapes results in a very deeply concentrated fruit filled red, with hints of spice and a long, balanced finish. This will work wonders with a beautifully cooked Chateaubriand.

Onglet Steak with Malbec

A very flavoursome steak with a stronger taste than a flat iron, sirloin or fillet. The steak takes its flavour from being part of the diaphragm and it’s rich muscle fibres. Often feather cut and available as one piece this steak needs careful cooking. When cooked over a medium heat with butter, white wine and slowed cooked onions there is no better tasting steak. Best cooked medium rare, medium. Cut across the grain to serve.

Wine to pair: La Mechita Familia Zuccardi Malbec 2018

These guys know their stuff and are pioneers in the Argentinian wine scene. Their vineyards are family owned and run, with winemaker Ruben Ruffo a real architect of detail. This wine is a staple for any wine rack – medium to full bodied with notes of red fruits, currants and delicate hints of vanilla, spice and cedar, all held together by fine tannins. A very modern Malbec and perfect with food, and most defeintely onglet steak.

Rump Steak with Merlot

The best rump steaks will be from grass-fed cattle and have been aged on the bone and matured for a minimum of 28 days. This hard working muscle benefits from the ageing process in order to break down the muscle fibres and tenderise the meat. The rump muscle works hard at the rear end of the beef animal and therefore carries deep flavours and a heavier texture than a sirloin or fillet. A versatile steak that is well suited to a pan, griddle or BBQ with a chimichurri sauce to accompany. Best cooked rare, medium rare, medium.

Wine to pair: Baron De Boutisse St Emilion Grand Cru 2014

Now this is something! Harvested from a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on beautiful limestone plateaus in Bordeaux, this wine is a very special blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. A classic French production which is smooth, well-balanced and easy on the palate. This will age wonderfully, and awaits its perfect partner in rump steak.

Porterhouse Steak with Grenache

This thick cut steak comes on the bone and is taken from the loin. It’s the same muscle used for the sirloin and contains beautiful marbling that helps baste the steak on cooking. Perfect for two people this steak should be seared on the hob and oven finished. Perfect for a Saturday night treat with peppercorn sauce. Best cooked rare, medium rare, medium.

Wine to pair: Chateau Mont Redon Lirac 2015

We’re back in France with another old world beauty and a fantastic value bottle considering the undoubted quality. Produced by Chateau Mont Redon by the Rhône River, between Orange and Avignon, in the village of Roquemaure, the Lirac 2015 is a Grenache blend with plenty of creamy oak and heaps of chocolatey red cherry and wonderful style. This will stand up wonderfully well to a hunk of porterhouse steak.