Wine and steak are a natural pairing. Yet, there are so many different cuts of steak and a variety of wines to choose from. How do you select the perfect wine to pair with a specific cut of beef? In this article, we’ll discuss some of the classic and unique steak and AJA Vineyards wine pairings.
The Wines we’ll highlight include:
Red Wine Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah
Chardonnay
Rosé
The cuts of steak we’ll focus on are:
NY Strip
Ribeye
Top Sirloin
Filet Mignon
Flank or Skirt Steak
New York Strip Steak and Red Blend
The Strip steak is a premium cut from the short loin of the steer. This is less tender and a tad leaner than a ribeye with a little more chew. It holds that sweet spot where marbling, tenderness, and flavor meet.
This is an excellent steak to pair with a robust red blend that is ripe, dark fruit forward with a hint of chocolate. We recommend the Malibu Coast FIVE Red Wine blend with its deep cherry, raspberry, and currant notes, and smooth mouth feel to pair with such a flavorful cut of beef.
Ribeye and Cabernet Sauvignon
The muscles on the inside of the ribs are richly marbled with fat and tender beef. While roasting, the fat melts and tenderizes the beef further. It also imparts a rich and unctuous flavor that is hard to beat in the world of steak.
The ribeye deserves a flavorful red wine with earthiness and deep notes of red and black cherries with a hint of licorice. Our choice of wine for a tasty and fatty ribeye steak is the Malibu Coast Cabernet Sauvignon.
Top Sirloin and Syrah
Top Sirloin is a very popular cut of steak due to its value, leanness, and meaty flavor. This cut comes from the area between the tough rump and the softer ribs. The texture and lower fat content make the versatile sirloin suitable for grilling or pan searing.
The best pairing with a beefy sirloin steak is our Malibu Coast Syrah. This red wine is rich with berry bouquets and a hint of vanilla, while not being overpowering. Syrah compliments the beef while not upstaging it.
Filet Mignon and Chardonnay
The premium filet mignon cut is the Cadillac of steak. It is incredibly lean while also being extremely tender when properly cooked. This pricier cut of beef shines all by itself and doesn’t need an aggressive wine pairing.
While this might surprise many, you can’t go wrong with an oak aged Chardonnay when serving or ordering filet mignon. Our Central Coast Chardonnay isn’t shy of flavor. Imagine hints of butterscotch and caramel as an aromatic backdrop to a savory and delicate filet mignon steak.
Flank or Skirt Steak and Rosé
Flank and skirt steaks might be the quintessential cuts of beef for a summer barbecue. These cuts were once popular steaks that butchers took home because they didn’t sell for much. The muscle fibers are stringy and chewy. When properly seasoned or marinated and sliced against the grain, a grilled flank or skirt steak is incredibly delicious and can be served inside tortillas or alongside an array of summer slaws.
These less formal steaks don’t lack in flavor by any means, especially when marinated with spices and herbs. Both are lovely with a crisp, chilled rosé that doesn’t compete with the beef. Our Malibu Coast Rosé is light in the aroma of summer stone fruits while being subtly complex. This dry wine is refreshing by itself and an excellent match with flank and skirt steaks.
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