🥩 Red Meat

Beef, lamb, venison — the dishes that demand structure. Match the weight and the sauce.

11 dishes — Ask Scott about Red Meat

Beef Burger

Ground beef, bun, cheese, and condiments make a casual high-flavor pairing.

Best match $
Bold California Zinfandel

Its generous fruit, spice, and warmth meet sweet smoke, barbecue sauce, and deeply browned flavors.

Also great
Argentine Malbec $
Bold Cabernet or Bordeaux blend $$$

Beef Stew

Comforting beef, vegetables, and stock create a broad, savory pairing target.

Best match $
Argentine Malbec

Its plush dark fruit and rounded tannin handle char, smoke, and juicy meat without turning the meal austere.

Also great
Southern Rhône GSM blend $
Iberian Tempranillo $$

Beef Tartare

Raw chopped beef with capers, mustard, herbs, egg yolk, and salty seasoning.

Best match $$$
Traditional-method sparkling wine

Its bubbles, acidity, and leesy texture scrub the palate and make rich, fried, salty, or delicate foods feel precise.

Also great
Crisp light red $
Bone-dry Riesling $$

Braised Beef

Slow-cooked beef with collagen richness, sauce depth, and soft texture.

Best match $
Southern Rhône GSM blend

Its ripe fruit, pepper, and warm herbal notes meet roasted or braised flavors while staying softer than a Cabernet-shaped wine.

Also great
Aged Nebbiolo $$$
Iberian Tempranillo $$

Braised Lamb

Slow-cooked lamb has deep savor, soft texture, and often warm spice.

Best match $
Southern Rhône GSM blend

Its ripe fruit, pepper, and warm herbal notes meet roasted or braised flavors while staying softer than a Cabernet-shaped wine.

Also great
Aged Nebbiolo $$$
Bold Rhône-style Syrah $$

Duck Confit

Salt-cured duck cooked in fat, with intense savor and crisp skin.

Best match $$$
Traditional-method sparkling wine

Its bubbles, acidity, and leesy texture scrub the palate and make rich, fried, salty, or delicate foods feel precise.

Also great
Silky Pinot Noir $$
Amontillado or Oloroso Sherry $$

Grilled Beef Steak

Charred steak is a tannin-friendly red meat pairing with generous fat and umami.

Best match $
Argentine Malbec

Its plush dark fruit and rounded tannin handle char, smoke, and juicy meat without turning the meal austere.

Also great
Bold Cabernet or Bordeaux blend $$$
Iberian Tempranillo $$

Lamb Chops

Grilled lamb chops offer char, fat, and herbal savor in a compact dish.

Best match $
Southern Rhône GSM blend

Its ripe fruit, pepper, and warm herbal notes meet roasted or braised flavors while staying softer than a Cabernet-shaped wine.

Also great
Bold Rhône-style Syrah $$
Iberian Tempranillo $$

Roast Duck

Dark, fatty poultry with savory skin and often a fruit or spice accent.

Best match $$$
Aged Burgundy-style Pinot Noir

Its developed mushroom, game, and forest-floor notes bridge beautifully to dishes where texture and age matter more than raw power.

Also great
Silky Pinot Noir $$
Darker Bandol-style rosé $$

Roast Lamb

Roast lamb combines red-meat richness with herbal, slightly gamey flavor.

Best match $
Southern Rhône GSM blend

Its ripe fruit, pepper, and warm herbal notes meet roasted or braised flavors while staying softer than a Cabernet-shaped wine.

Also great
Iberian Tempranillo $$
Bold Rhône-style Syrah $$

Venison

Lean game meat brings earthy intensity without much fat to soften tannin.

Best match $$$
Aged Nebbiolo

Its acidity, firm but resolved tannin, and earthy perfume make it a strong partner for slow cooking, mushrooms, game, and cheese.

Also great
Bold Rhône-style Syrah $$
Aged Burgundy-style Pinot Noir $$$
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