Beef & Sparkling Wine Pairing: All You Need to Know

You may have heard that red wine is the perfect choice to serve with beef, which is true. However, there is a wide range of sparkling reds in the market that work amazingly well, too. This wide selection leaves chefs and menu planners with a daunting task! To get your meat just right, check out ButcherBox and its awesome packages that hit your sweet spot. Once you’re all set with the beef, then here’s our guidelines on how to pair sparkling wine with them.

1. Beef and Sparkling Pinot Noir

Perfect for barbecues, this sparkling red (especially ones which hail from Australia) pairs great with barbecued steak or seafood skewers. Choose a lighter colored wine for a lighter taste. Salmon-hued varieties will go best with leaner cuts of meat, while darker maroon and purple-toned sparkling Pinot Noirs will go well with roasted joints.

Described as refreshing, crisp and clean, lighter-toned Pinot Noir is a great choice to drink with any part of your meal. At your next event, try offering this sweet vino instead of Champagne for a unique alternative.

2. Beef and Sparkling Shiraz

Shiraz is another full-bodied, luxurious red wine. The bubbly version goes great with meat, but it’s also a very popular brunch wine in Australia!

Shiraz has firm tannin and is slightly spicy with a hint of black pepper, chocolate, and vanilla. Your choice of wine should be dictated by the quality of the beef you have. If the beef is fatty, you should go for younger wines, which contain more tannin. Older reds have mellowed tannin, which isn’t as effective against fat. For this reason, you should also ensure that you have the highest quality grassfed beef.

The tangy taste of Shiraz makes it fantastic with a wide range of roast beef, from prime ribs to lean tenderloins. The spicy and peppery flavours combine well with every piece of meat and allow the taste of the dark fruit to shine.

Combine your roast meat with mid-range priced sparkling Shiraz wine to satisfy your taste buds. Shiraz also works well with everyday delicacies like pizza and burgers.

3. Beef and Sparkling Cabernet Sauvignon

Enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon in its sparkling form for a lighter take on the beverage. Cabernet Sauvignon is heavy in tannin. Drinking it without pairing with something else causes your cheeks to pucker. When combined with the dense protein of roast beef, however, the tannin is tamed and allows you to taste the flavours of red wine present.

Cabernet Sauvignon also has oaky notes. These are well highlighted when the tannin beats the fat from the meat away from your cheeks.

The general rule in picking the right wine for your beef is to choose a bold Cabernet Sauvignon for meat with high-fat content. If your roast beef is lean, for instance, you should select a mid-bodied to an aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Bolder choices of red wine have high alcohol and tannin content and should be combined with fatty meat. Choose a sparkling version to lighten the body of the wine – this will be especially good if you plan on having a chocolate dessert.

4. Beef and Champagne

Now, hear us out – we know that the cardinal rule is usually that beef is to be enjoyed with red wine. However, there are plenty of top chefs out there who swear by pairing the meat with Champagne.

Although most people regard Champagne as an aperitif before a meal, Champagne expert Kyla Kirkpatrick insists that it’s a great pairing with oily dishes, including some beef, because it’s acidic. Essentially, the grease left in your mouth after enjoying the food is wiped away by the acidity of the beverage. Moet & Chandon’s Benoit Gouez adds that the beef should be served pink, as the rawness keeps a juicy texture which goes best with Champagne.

Bottom Line

The fattier the cut of beef, the more tannin your choice of sparkling red wine should have. As the wine ages, the tannin is smooth and is only appropriate for leaner cuts of beef.

If you choose a Champagne or white wine, look for crisp or acidic varieties.