I’m all about following rules: I stop at stop signs, I accept a breath mint when offered, and I’ll never again wear horizontal stripes on my hips. But there’s one rule I break often and it’s the most famous rule of wine and food of all!
“Serve red wine with red meat.”
Red wine paired with red meat is good and good for us. The meat’s fat and protein bind with the red’s tannin - the astringent, bitter aspects of red wine - making for a smooth mouthful. (You can try this experiment by tasting black coffee, which is full of tannin, then adding cream.) In addition, the red’s tannin helps break down meat, aiding digestion.
But if you, like me, prefer white wine, don’t quell your gnash-and-tear urge. Just switch to another strategy, such as:
Look for Common Flavors
Chardonnay-based wine, for instance, when barrel matured is a great pairing with red meats. The barrel endows Chardonnay with toasty, vanillin, earthy flavors, like the flavors developed in browning meat. Chardonnay can also develop buttery flavors and richness, similar to meat.
So, for a butter-basted steak, especially topped with sautéed mushrooms, my choice from the wine shop at The Chopping Block is:
Chardonnay, Raeburn, 2022, Sonoma County, California ($25.00): Layers of tree fruit, brown spice and vanilla flavors, grown in California’s prime Chardonnay region. Serve as a satisfying cocktail and complement to rich appetizers and seafood, vegetables and even meats, especially prepared with butter.
For meats topped with herbs or herb sauce, like Salsa Verde or Chimichurri, turn to the herbal flavors of Sauvignon Blanc-based wine. For strip steak topped with Chimichurri, my choices include:
Sancerre, Sager & Verdier, 2023, Loire Valley, France ($42.50): 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was a classic centuries before New Zealand! Grown in northern France's cool climate and chalky soil for bone-dry flavors of citrus, fresh herbs, mineral accents and long finish to complement dishes with herbs, vegetables, olive oil and goat’s milk cheese. The Chicago-based Sager family has introduced international family-owned wineries to the U.S. for generations.
Sauvignon Blanc "Leyda Valley", Boya, 2021, Aconcagua, Chile ($28.00): Vibrant, dry, and direct flavors of passionfruit and fresh herbs with lime-like acidity. A dynamic cocktail and complement to dishes prepared with herbs or citrus, including seafood, veggie cuisine and even meat.
The added benefit of these cool-climate Sauvignons is firm acidity to refresh the palate and aid digestion.
For pork, duck and other meats paired with fruit, like Beef Tagine with Dried Fruit and Moroccan Spices, serve the fruity flavors of Riesling.
At TCB, we recommend:
Riesling, Schloss Gobelsburg "Gobelsburger" 2021, Kamptal, Austria ($31.50): Dry but lush with nectarine flavor intertwined with mineral complexity and refreshing finish, this Austrian beauty satisfies a wide range of cuisine, including most appetizers, spice cuisine, fried dishes, seafood (including sushi), veggies, poultry and light meats.
Everything Happens for a Riesling
Riesling, the most food-friendly grape, also offers several “opposites that attract”:
- Riesling’s acidity refreshes the palate when enjoying the luxurious fat and/or smokiness of sausages, duck, ribs and bacon.
- A sweeter Riesling protects the palate from the singe of spice in spicy barbeque, spicy chili and spicy Asian dishes like Szechuan Beef.
- Riesling’s sugar also enhances the salt in cured meats such as ham, corned beef and Chicago’s own Vienna Beef hot dogs. From the TCB wine shop:
Riesling Spatlese, Huff 2021, Rheinhessen, Germany ($30.00): A classic Riesling, “late picked” for juicy peach flavor, mineral accents and refreshing tartness for a sweeter cocktail and complement to foods prepared with fruit, spice and/ or smoke. Delicious with all cheese, especially blue!
You can test white wine with meat during my Sensual Wine & Food Pairing, as we mix-&-match strip steak with Chimichurri and two other courses, with four international whites and reds, including a Grand Cru Champagne & a French Cahors, the original Malbec! Join me on Saturday February 15, at 6:30pm.
