How to Select Wine for Meat Entrees

Whether planning a large dinner party or a romantic evening for two, selecting the appropriate wine for various meat entrees doesn't have to be complicated.  After all, it would take many expensive taste tests to try them all!  So we've put together some ideas to make your selection a little easier.

First, understand that the flavor of certain wines blends well with meats such as beef and veal, lamb, pork, etc.; others do not.  That's why you'll want to select the wine for your meal with careful thought.  If you've never tried wine with meats, then you might not understand this at first.  But if you have, then you probably understand perfectly that the wine chosen will either complement or ruin a meal.

Thankfully you don't have to try hundreds of combinations to find out which wines will work well with the meal you're planning.  Use the knowledge gained by others to refine your selection.  We've put together a list of some of the most common meats and popular wines that blend well with those meats.  And of course, there are thousands of resources online if you don't immediately find what you're seeking.

Wine Suggestions for Beef and Veal

Wine selections for beef will depend mostly on the type of beef being cooked and how you will prepare it.  Beef can be prepared hundreds of ways, and with so many types of wines, the possibilities are endless. 

Let's start with steak.  You can prepare your steak rare, medium rare, medium well or well.  There are also various sauces and marinades, so this may affect your wine choice as well.  For grilled or broiled steak, try Shiraz, Cabernet or Merlot Bordeaux red wine (big textured), full flavor.  Marinated steak with au poivre sauce can be complemented with Merlot, Cabernet or Zinfandel red wines. 

Try to purchase wines that are dated at least three years old (vintage) for the best flavor.  For a sweeter flavor, try White Zinfandel because it is low in tannin and the sweetness will blend well with most types of beef.  Avoid charring the steak or any type of beef if possible because the bitterness of the char flavor will likely not taste well with wine.

For aged red wine, cook the steak either medium well or well for the best combination.  For young red wine, cook it rarer than usual.  If you like the meat charred a little, select a wine that has more tannin (with slightly bitter flavor). 

For barbecue brisket, consider young red wines such as Chianti, Petit Verdot, Zinfandel or Shiraz.  Stew beef with beef bourguignon sauce can be served with Shiraz, Zinfandel, Malbec or a Bordeaux blend.  Stew tastes best with full flavored red wine.  Meatloaf can be complemented with Merlot, Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon (medium-bodied reds).  Zinfandel works best with chili.

Veal is very young beef so it calls for different types of wine, such as Shiraz or Pinot Noir.  These two have lower tannin levels.  Suggestions for veal chops and mushroom sauce are rich, full red wines such as Tuscan blends, Barbaresco, Merlot and Brunello.  Veal scaloppini can be served with Cotes du Rhone, Red Burgundy, Chianti or Spanish Rioja.

Wine Suggestions for Pork

Most pork is known for having a flavorsome salty flavor (ham, chops, etc.).  And to get creative with pork flavoring, it can be marinated, smoked, slow cooked, grilled or fried.  Either way, the wines chosen will have to blend well with the salty flavor.  For pork chops, try wines such as Zinfandel, Barbera, Chianti, or Rhone reds.  If marinating the chops in red wine, be sure to buy a bigger or more flavorful wine than the one used for the marinade.

If cooking a pork roast, try preparing it with mustard sauce and tarragon.  Serve with white wine with high acidity or an herbal wine.  Some suggestions for pork roast:  New World Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sancerre, Meursault or Pinot Noir (herbal).  If cooking pork spareribs in barbecue sauce, try Primitivo, Zinfandel or Petit Verdot.  For honey-glazed or baked ham, serve with a sweet, full flavored Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Dry Rose or Chardonnay.  Smoked ham with a salty flavor can be served with German Riesling or Pinot Noir.

Pork sausage blends well with red Bordeaux or Malbec, or you can serve white wines with a spicy flavor.

Wine Suggestions for Lamb

Lamb seems to have unique flavor and characteristics of its own.  Therefore, the wine selections for lamb will differ from other types of meat.  For grilled lamb chops, try French wines such as Cabernet, Sangiovese, young Bordeaux or Bandol.  Lamb stew with potatoes, peas, onions, tomatoes, etc. can be complemented with Spanish riojas.  If using a spicy curry sauce, consider white wine with high acidity such as White Rhone.  For leg of lamb (roasted), buy a deep red wine such as Cote Rotie, New World Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux from St. Julien.

*Tip:  If only sipping wine before a meal, make sure it is low in acidity so it won't interfere with the flavors of the food.  Serve the wine at a temperature that's slightly cooler than room temperature for the best dining experience.  You can also serve sweet wine with dessert after the meal, but limit it to a small amount to prevent belly aches!

With the right type of wine, your elegant meat entree will be more flavorful than ever.  Use these ideas as a guideline, but don't limit yourself.  Try buying a couple of different wines to see which suits you best.

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