Steak & Wine Pairing
Choosing the perfect wine to go with your favourite Steak can at first appear to be a daunting decision, but there are some simple guidelines you can follow to help you match up the flavours.
If you want a super simple concept to follow, it’s that the fattier and more flavoursome the Steak you choose the more robust the wine you need.
So for a Fillet – generally the leanest cut – you might vear towards a light New Zealand Pinot Noir with its pleasant fruitiness and subtle oakiness that compliments the gentle flavours of the meat or an Argentinian Malbec with velvety tannins and floral characteristics that should help to bring out the flavour of the Fillet. Whilst we’ve assumed you’ve gone for a lean Fillet, you could of course be lucky enough to enjoy a Kobe Fillet with its intense Wagyu marbling, but you wouldn’t want to overpower the still delicate flavour and a medium bodied Merlot would offer a lovely smooth alternative.
At the other end of the spectrum, where Fillet is lean, RibEye tends to be a rich, fatty meat and needs a heavier more robust wine, the perfect calling for a Cabernet Sauvignon where the high tannins help cut through the juiciness and fattiness of the cut. As an alternative, a spicy Californian Zinfandel would be a nice choice offering the fruitiness of the wine to contrast with the RibEye’s robust meatiness.
Our third Steak choice would be a nicely trimmed Sirloin, which offers a stronger texture than either the Fillet or RibEye and generally has a fuller, beefier flavour. To rival this intensity, we’d go for an Australian Syrah here. The wine is more full-bodied, with softer tannins and a more fruity flavor to contrast with the intensity of the meat. A French Syrah would typically have more peppery notes with a higher acidity and tannin level and may overpower the flavour of the meat, but hen there’s only one way to find out and that, ultimately is the fun part.
Our Sharing Steak Plates allow you the opportunity to conduct a Steak Tasting, perhaps in line with your very own wine tasting. Presenting two or three different cuts on the stone allows you to match the flavours and texture of your Steaks side by side and by enjoying this way it means you are truly comparing the flavours of the meat, not the method of cooking. We love having a selection as above of Fillet, Sirloin and RibEye and we’ll match these with our favourite wines for each selection, to create a totally engaging dining experience. Happy Sizzling!
