What type of wine pairs well with red meat?

Wine with meat is a perfect way to improve both your drink and your food's flavors.  If you celebrate a special event such as an anniversary or a steakhouse promotion and eat a dry-age, Wagyu beef fillet, or you just live your best life and prepare a ribeye steak, it's all the easier to indulge when you know you have the perfect wine to match with your tender steak.

Not an accomplished aficionado of wine? Not sure how to find or select between the best pairs of various styles of steak? Don’t worry. You can create a truly unforgettable flavor experience with a bit of simple know-how and knowledge about steak and wine, right in the comfort of your home kitchen. Keep reading, and find out how.

The Best Wine with Steak:

Red wine is what you need to pick when you go for a steak. It's quick to note that red meat produces red wine. While “white” meat such as chicken or fish is best eaten with a white, beef is usually followed by a red. Some meat in either category does not suit neatly, such as pork, and can be combined with either.

Before you can crack them, you have to know the rules. To begin with, the basics, such as a high-quality red wine, before you go experimenting with mixing cocktails or white wine with steak.

Let's hop into our top 4 types of red wine to match with steaks without further ado.

1. Cabernets

With a cabernet, also referred to as the 'people pleaser' of red wines, you will not go wrong. A large number of cabernets are available, and they usually have a very balanced taste that is suitable for beginners. Cabernets have a high acidity that beautifully slices through fatty and umami ingredients, offering a tanginess with a good steak that is simply magnificent.

Cabernet grapes are planted across the globe. But don't just say that it's always easier to import wine. Though France and Chile have outstanding quality reputations, California's Napa Valley also produces some of the world's finest cabernets.

2. Zinfandel

If you prefer to enjoy sweeter wines instead of acidic and "dry" wines that are high in tannins and other flavor compounds, Zinfandel is a great choice. This grape variety has a high sugar content, so it can be made into wine with an alcohol level of 15 percent or higher, or the sugar can be retained, resulting in a sweeter wine.

3. Malbec

Malbec is a bolder red wine, full of tannins with a dark and inky color and a rich flavor profile. In spite of this, however, Malbec does not have a woody or oaky scent, but a more fruity profile, with notes of citrus and other fruits being juicy. Inky red or almost violet ought to be the color of a Malbec.

4. Syrah (Shiraz)

Looking for a red wine that goes wonderfully with steak cuts that, like ribeye, have more fat? A varietal of Syrah is a great alternative. Cuts of steak like ribeye often require a heavier, more robust wine to balance them and provide a counterpoint to the richness of the fatty, marbled meat. Syrah is a really fine wine for aging as well.

Fine dining is all about following your own favorites and personal interests. Sure, every once and a while it's good to try new stuff, but if you have a red wine you really love, you can ignore all our advice and pair it with your next steak!

Your purpose is not to please food or wine snobs who will snark at your wine range but to enjoy your meal. Anything's moving. The only way to discover the right mix of steak and wine for yourself is to taste and play with various wines. And you should feel free to stick with it until you find a combination you enjoy or try new stuff!