These Are the Best Wines to Pair With Steak for a Perfect Meal

Antinori Badia a Passignano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico

Filet mignon is an extremely lean cut of meat and it is all about the tenderness. With its buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture, it needs a wine that does not overpower. The Antinori Badia Chianti Classico is a wine with flavors that are deeply layered. The wine is concentrated and has nice acidity. It is fruity without being jammy with well-integrated tannins. It invites the senses with the aromas of smoked meat, chocolate, and ripe fruit. The dark fruit on the palate and lower alcohol content in the wine elevate the meat’s texture. A liberal salt and fresh pepper seasoning on the steak brings out the slight oak and spices in the wine.

Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape

The strip is not the most tender steak, but it is moderately tender with a bit of chew. The strong beefy flavor and rich marbling make it a delicious steak. The Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a rich, intense, and elegantly balanced wine. The finish on the wine is savory and long, yet the fruit carries through until the end. In the mouth, the tight tannins wrap around layers of minerals and bright juicy dark fruits with a wonderful acidity. This bright acidity allows it to cut through the fat and complement the flavor of the beef in the strip.

Raymond Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

The rib-eye steak is a rich cut with great beefy flavor and is known as much for its marbling as it is for the flavor. “Rib-eye allows for and can stand up to full-bodied wines as the fat in the marbling needs tannins and the acidity to complement it," says Wine Educator and Certified Specialist of Wine Cindy Eger. She recommends a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon anytime you're eating a rib-eye. “A Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon provides that expression of fruitiness and chewy tannins that complement the steak."

The Raymond Reserve Selection Cabernet is a bold, structured wine with rich dark fruit flavor and a long finish. With aromas of vanilla, leather, and baking spices, the wine is focused and direct.

Prats & Symington Chryseia Douro 2016

Two steaks in one is an exciting thing. The porterhouse or the T-bone is a cross-section of marbled, textured strip steak and the lean tenderloin. You get the flavor of the strip and the tenderness of the loin. “If you want a truly earthy experience, outside of the usual reds like the new world cabernet sauvignons, merlots, and syrah, Portuguese reds are high up on the list to pair with steaks," says Zachary Marcus Cesare Harris.

Prats & Symington Chryseia is big, bold, and alive. This well-structured wine with mouthwatering acidity is rich and spicy. Expect robust black fruit, dark coffee, silky smooth tannins, and a subtle savory finish. This wine is a powerful and complex companion to the Porterhouse steak.

Decoy Merlot 2018

Also known as the butcher's steak, the hanger steak is loved for its beefy flavor. Its loose texture is a perfect canvas for marinades, which add acidity and moisture to the steak. The Decoy Merlot does exceptionally well with varied food and hence would stand up to any complementary marinade you put on the steak. It’s smooth with characteristically soft tannins and medium acidity. With aromas of herbs and baking spices on the nose, the wine is full of juicy plum and dark cherries on the palate. This is a fun wine to experiment with different food pairings.

Tikal Amorío Malbec

Flat iron steaks are tender and have a fair amount of marbling. These steaks are quite flavorful and are best cooked on the grill. Take them to the next level by serving them with some delightful chimichurri and the Tikal Amorio Malbec. There is an earthiness to this wine that complements the meat. The wine is bright with balanced acidity. Cherries and raspberries come through on the palate with hints of spice at the finish. This luscious signature malbec from Mendoza is a crowd-pleaser.

The Prisoner Wine Company Thorn Merlot

Although technically not a steak, the flank is a very popular cut of beef. It is a very flavorful cut of meat that has a tight texture and is quite lean. Since the steak is thin, it benefits from marinades and spice rubs for added flavor. The Prisoner Wine Company Thorn Merlot is a rich and bold wine. There is cassis, chocolate, baking spices, and cedar on the nose. The palate is straight-up fruit with a sleek balance between flavor and feel. It is a carefully crafted full-bodied wine with a long finish.

Pulenta Estate La Flor Malbec 2019

Skirt steak is a coarsely grained portion of beef with a good amount of fat that gives it a flavorful richness. This cut takes well to marinades, seasonings, and quick cooking. The Pulenta La Flor Malbec is earthy with notes of wood and forest floor on the nose. The palate is luxurious and well-rounded with big bold hints of herbs and fruits. It offers a nice juicy finish with lingering florals and a great balance of acidity for all the big bold fruitiness and just the right amount of oak. This is a wonderful pairing for fajitas, stews, and anything else you might want to make with the skirt steak.