What Wine Goes With Steak? A Guide by Cut and Sauce

Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic wine with steak, and for a fatty ribeye it’s hard to beat. But the best match depends on the cut and the sauce: leaner steaks such as filet mignon suit softer reds like Merlot, chewier flank and skirt steaks suit fruity reds like Malbec, and a rich sauce can even make a white wine the better choice. Here’s how to pick.

Why red wine works with steak

Tannin is the drying, slightly grippy feeling a red wine leaves on your gums and tongue. Wine Spectator explains that tannins interact with the proteins in your saliva, which is what causes that drying sensation. On its own, a young, tannic red can feel rough.

Steak changes that. Wine Spectator’s pairing guide notes that a fatty dish such as steak softens tannin, so a Cabernet tastes smoother with the meat than without it. Wine Folly describes the same thing from the other side: tannin acts as a palate cleanser, scraping fat from the mouth so each bite tastes fresh. The fat tames the wine, and the wine cuts the fat.

That gives you the main rule for steak, which Wine Folly spells out: the fattier the cut, the more tannin it can take. Lean cuts want lighter, gentler reds, so the wine doesn’t overpower the meat.

Cut	How fatty	Wine styles to try
Ribeye, bone-in rib	Very marbled	Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Amarone or Ripasso
New York strip	Medium, with a fat cap	GSM blend, Blaufränkisch, Bordeaux-style blend
Sirloin	Medium	Rioja Reserva, Northern Rhône Syrah, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Porterhouse, T-bone	Lean filet plus richer strip	Nebbiolo (Barolo), Aglianico
Filet mignon	Lean, tender	Merlot, Merlot blends, Mencía
Flank, skirt	Lean, beefy, chewy	Malbec, Garnacha, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc

Source for this table: Wine Folly’s steak pairing guide.

Ribeye

Ribeye is the richest everyday steak, heavily marbled with fat. Wine Folly says that richness calls for either high tannin to cut the fat or strong fruit flavor for contrast, and recommends Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa or Sonoma Zinfandel (especially for grilled ribeye), and Amarone or Valpolicella Ripasso.

Our pick: a Cabernet Sauvignon from California, Washington or Chile. It has the tannin for the fat, and good ones are easy to find at everyday prices. See our best cabernet sauvignon under $20 for research-based picks with critic scores and dated prices.

New York strip

Strip steak is firmer and a little leaner than ribeye, with a band of fat along one edge. Wine Folly suggests a wine that can both complement the beefy flavor and cut through the fat: Blaufränkisch, a Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (GSM) blend, or a South African Bordeaux-style blend. In Wine Spectator’s roundup of sommelier picks, a Dallas sommelier also chose a Rhône-style Grenache blend for a seasoned strip.

In our view, a GSM blend from France’s southern Rhône or from Australia is a smart, often good-value alternative to Cabernet here.

Filet mignon

Filet is the most tender cut and the leanest, with a mild flavor. A big, tannic red can bulldoze it. Wine Folly recommends gentler wines: Merlot wine or a Merlot-based blend from Bordeaux or Washington State, Touriga Nacional, or Mencía. Wine Folly also notes that lean cuts stay more tender cooked rarer.

Sauce often matters more than the meat with filet, because the cut itself is so mild. Wine Folly suggests Touriga Nacional with steak au poivre.

Flank, skirt and hanger

These thin, chewy, very beefy cuts are usually marinated, grilled hot and sliced. Wine Folly suggests Sangiovese (Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano), Cabernet Franc, Garnacha and Malbec.

Malbec wine is a natural fit when the steak comes with chimichurri: Wine Folly’s red meat guide recommends fruity, bold reds with smooth tannins, such as Malbec or Monastrell, for green sauces. If the sauce is heavy on raw garlic or onion, it suggests a medium-bodied red with higher acidity instead, such as a Côtes du Rhône or Carménère.

Our pick for fajitas, carne asada or steak tacos: a Garnacha or a Malbec, fruity enough to handle a spicy marinade.

Sirloin and T-bone

Sirloin sits in the middle: flavorful, moderately lean, and very dependent on how it’s seasoned. Wine Folly suggests an aged Rioja Reserva (Tempranillo), Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, or a Northern Rhône Syrah such as Crozes-Hermitage or Saint-Joseph.

Porterhouse and T-bone combine a piece of lean filet with a piece of strip on one bone. Wine Folly suggests structured reds for them: Nebbiolo (including Barolo), Aglianico, or Greek Xinomavro.

Match the sauce

Wine Folly’s red meat guide is titled “It’s All About the Sauce,” and a sauce can change the right wine completely.

Sauce	Wine styles to try	Source of the suggestion
Peppercorn (au poivre)	Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz; young ruby Port	Wine Folly; a Wine Spectator sommelier pick
Béarnaise or hollandaise	Bold reds with good acidity, such as Bordeaux; or white Burgundy, oaked Chardonnay	Wine Folly; a Wine Spectator sommelier pick
Chimichurri	Malbec, Monastrell	Wine Folly
Red wine sauce, demi-glace	Earthy, bold reds: Bordeaux, Barbera, Dolcetto	Wine Folly
Tomato-based (pizzaiola)	Sangiovese, Merlot, Tempranillo	Wine Folly
BBQ or Korean barbecue	Fruity reds: Zinfandel, Shiraz, Gamay, Lambrusco	Wine Folly

Tip: Go easy on the salt if you’re opening a special bottle. Wine Spectator notes that very salty food can make a red taste harsh and high alcohol feel hotter.

White wine with steak

You don’t have to drink red. Wine Spectator’s Dr. Vinny calls white with steak “a harder order” than red, but not an impossible one: the choice depends on how the steak is cooked and what it’s served with. The suggestions are:

• Full-bodied, oaky Chardonnay, which has the weight to stand up to the meat.
• Viognier or Marsanne, two other full-bodied white grapes.
• A mature white Rioja or an older Riesling, where age adds savory complexity.
• Champagne or sparkling wine, especially with steak tartare.

Sommeliers in Wine Spectator’s roundup went further. One paired grilled ribeye with a full-bodied Slovenian Ribolla Gialla, whose high acidity cut the fat. Another recommended white Burgundy or oaked American Chardonnay with béarnaise or hollandaise, arguing that the sauce matters most. Others chose blanc de noirs sparkling wine for a large Basque-style rib steak, and rosé Champagne for leaner cuts.

Our pick for white wine drinkers: a rich, oaked Chardonnay with a butter-basted steak or one served with béarnaise.

Older wines and steak

If you’re opening an aged red, keep the steak simple. Wine Spectator notes that as wine ages, its tannins soften and its fresh fruit gives way to earthier, more savory notes, so older bottles show best with less rich, less heavily seasoned food. Save the spice rub for a younger, bolder bottle.

Finding a good bottle

Most steak styles above are available at everyday prices. Our best wine under $20 list compares published critic scores with current US prices. For the principles behind all of these matches, see our wine and food pairing guide.

Wine is for adults of legal drinking age (21 in the US). Please drink responsibly.