The Ultimate Guide to Pairing (Not Just Red) Wine With Steak

The Ultimate Guide to Pairing (Not Just Red) Wine With Steak

Who says red wine is the only good pairing with steak? Our head somm Chie Gaerlan shows us the best wines for any cut and style of steak!

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Red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat, or so the classic saying goes. But while red is considered the classic wine pairing for steak, that might not always be true. Not just any red wine will make a good match for any cut of steak—in fact, the best pairing might not even be red at all!

In this guide, we asked (Super)Natural head somm and WSET-certified wine educator Chie Gaerlan for her top wine pairings for different cuts and styles of steak—from dry-aged and chargrilled to tartare and even your classic Pinoy burger steak—as well as where to shop natural wine in Manila.

Fatty, chargrilled, bone-in steaks

Such as: Porterhouse, T-Bone, Ribeye, Picanha, and Tomahawk

Our classic vision of steak night often features the juiciest cuts out there, be it a ribeye or a picanha—or if you’re really out to celebrate, a porterhouse or tomahawk! All these thick, fatty cuts sing when char-grilled, and are an occasion in themselves calling for a good wine. In these cases, red wine does indeed fit the bill: you’re looking for some tannins to stand up to the richness and good acidity to refresh your palate.

“The luscious fat and the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness from a slab of grilled Porterhouse deserve a rich and velvety red with mouthwatering acidity,” says Gaerlan. “Sylvie Augereau’s Les Manquants is sure to complement the indulgent richness of your favorite steak so you can enjoy more bites and more sips.”

Recommended wine for fatty bone-in steaks: Sylvie Augereau Les Manquants 2018 

Lean Steak Cuts

Such as: Sirloin, Tri Tip, and Flank

If lean and mean is what you usually go for, high acidity and high tannins aren’t as much of a priority as they would be in a fattier cut. You could go for a red with a lighter body, focusing more on the accompanying notes.

“Look no further than Pineau D’Aunis from the Loire,” recommends Gaerlan. “Never mind if you can’t pronounce it: it’s enough that you can enjoy it. It’s light-bodied, earthy and spicy, this is a perfect foil to your leaner steak cuts such as sirloin or flank.”

Recommended wine for lean steak cuts: Le Grapperie L’echanteresse 2019

Steak Tartare

We’ve gone through different cuts of beef, but how your steak is prepared is actually one of the greatest influences on what you should pair with it. Just because you’re dealing with beef doesn’t mean that red wine is immediately the best choice. This is especially true when you’re enjoying a bistro classic like steak tartare: essentially, raw minced beef with plenty of aromatics.

“Rich and raw beef bites call for bright acidity and gentle fizz,” says Gaerlan. “In this case, you could actually do a sparkling Pet Nat rosé like Vinyes Tortuga’s Magic Potion. It’s a sparkler with notes of berries that complement classic tartare ingredients such as capers, shallots and mustard. Treat your dad to this unique pairing on Father’s Day, and you may just be (secretly) declared the favorite child.”

Recommended wine for steak tartare: Vinyes Tortuga Magic Potion 2021 

Dry-Aged Steaks

Many people believe matching red with red, white with white is the most important guideline to follow when pairing wine with meat, but intensity of flavor actually matters just as much.

“Dry-aged steak has a more intense flavor and meatier texture - calling for a wine that is just as intense,” says Gaerlan. “Christian Tschida’s Felsen I is one such wine and will definitely delight someone who likes their steak extra flavorful and their wine just as robust.”

Recommended wine for dry-aged steaks: Christian Tschida Felsen I 2019

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon

Cut from the tip of the tenderloin, filet mignon’s extremely rich, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth texture make it widely considered the bright and glistening crown jewel of all steaks. The plot twist: filet mignon is actually a cut with very little fat or marbling! This makes wrapping it in bacon a classic preparation, and you may be surprised that a French wine blend could be what makes it sing.

Chateau Meylet’s Cuvee G may just change your mind about how you view the region,” says Gaerlan. “Yes, there is structure and tannin but this St Emilion also has a juicy acidity that will allow you to enjoy the bacon fat on the filet, but will also wash it away to prepare you for another luscious mouthful.”

Recommended wine for filet mignon: Chateau Meylet Cuvee G St Emilion 2014

Wild Game Meat Steaks

Such as: Venison, Wild Boar, and Duck

When we talk about steak, we think of beef by default—but there are so many proteins out there that produce that indulgence we’re looking for. If you’re taking a walk on the wilder side and leave the comforts of a traditional steakhouse for the stronger, earthier, and muskier flavors of game meat like venison, wild boar, and duck, then you may want to skip the usual red wine too. Gaerlan actually recommends, of all things, a Pinot Grigio.

“But this is not your tita’s Pinot Grigio,” she jokes. “This Bianco Sivi by Dario Princic is an orange wine with structure, tannin, and earthy elements—a nuanced accompaniment to any game meat, especially when it’s prepared with herbs and spices.”

Recommended wine for game meat steaks: Dario Princic Bianco Sivi 2017

Classic Pinoy Burger Steak

In the Philippines, nothing hits the level of comfort that a classic, tender burger steak was—complete with mushroom gravy and rice, of course! Whether it’s from Jollibee or you’re cooking it at home, there’s no reason you can’t have a glass of wine with it.

“I’d recommend a down-to-earth wine to pair with an equally down-to-earth meal,” says Gaerlan. “Milan Nestarec’s OKR has notes of dried apricot, orange, peel, some tea, and a bit of funk—it’s rich and earthy enough to hold its own against the umami from the meat and the mushroom gravy.”

Also worth pointing out: OKR has an unusual bottle size of one liter instead of the standard 750 mL, making it perfect for sharing with the family when you’ve got a family tray of Jollibee’s burger steak on your hands!

Recommended wine for classic Pinoy burger steak: Milan Nestarec OKR 2021

Where to shop natural wine in Manila

Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or Father’s Day, enjoying it at home or at a restaurant, you can always buy natural wines for your next steak night at (Super)Natural. (Super)Natural is an online store delivering natural wines from around the world straight to your doorstep in Metro Manila, with a lineup of cult classics by renowned makers like Gut Oggau, Le Coste, Henri Milan, Chateau Meylet, and more.

Buy natural wine at (Super)Natural and place your order before 2 PM to avail same-day delivery in Metro Manila!