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Food and Wine Matching:

Wine and Red Meat – A Match Made in Heaven?

Red meat is packed full of rich protein, and has a very definite structure as a result (think of the difference between eating a chicken breast and a steak). It is time for the big boys to step into the ring!

An Introduction to Tannin

Tannin is one of the main constituents that give a wine its structure. Tannin is the substance that coats your teeth and makes them feel furry. It can also dry your mouth out and sometimes has a bitter characteristic.

Tannin is related to the thickness of the skin of the grape variety – thick skins equals more tannin, thinner skins equals less tannin. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz/Syrah are thick-skinned grape varieties; hence their wines can be very tannic. Pinot Noir has the thinnest skins of a red wine grape variety; hence these wines are very light-bodied. To a lesser degree, tannin can also come from the oak barrel a wine is aged in, the grape pips and the stalks.

Tannin reacts with protein, effectively breaking both structures down and creating a ‘softening’ effect. Black tea is very tannic until you add milk (protein) – the result is a smooth drink. It is the same reaction when we talk about tannin in wine and the protein in red meats.

The Principles

Big meaty dishes require big wines – match the ‘structure’ of the meat with that of the wine

So What Works?

Beef – Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec is fantastic with roast beef. Aussie Shiraz works very well with barbequed steaks. Try the Elementos Shiraz Malbec (£7.00) for a New World winner or the Chateau Turcaud (£7.50) for an Old World classic.

Venison – with a more gamey flavour, venison works better with Rhone-style red wines (based on a Shiraz/Granache/Mourvedré blend, or GSM as it is sometimes seen). Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rasteau or Aussie blends taste great! Try the Rasteau Domain Didier Charavin (£12.50) – it gives many supermarket Chateauneuf-du-Papes a run for their money!

Lamb – has a gentle sweetness and richness that is less in-your-face than beef. Again Rhone-style reds work well, but Italian Chianti tastes great, as it has a fantastic acidity to cut through lamb’s high fat content – try the Leonardo Chianti (£8.00). Rioja-style reds are another interesting match, as their smoky oak and rich berry flavours perfectly compliment roast lamb. An amazing wine to try is the Tempranillo Reserva Castillo de Manzanares – at £5.75 this is a Rioja-style wine that puts others to shame.

Duck – Pinot Noir is a fantastic match to the gentle gameyness of wild duck without being to muscly and overpowering. Try the Bourgogne Pinot Noir from Vincent Sauvestre at £8.75. Also fabulous with Turkey.

So What to Avoid?

Light whites with little going on, so your Pinot Grigio’s out!