What Meals Pair Well with Red Wine?

Make a reservation at DC Steak House to celebrate national red wine day on August 28th! Treat yourself to your favorite variety of robust reds and mouth watering meals from our menu to create the perfect food and wine pairing. To help you plan we put together a list of the best meals to pair with red wine so you can make the most out of your dinner.

The Best Meals to Pair with Red Wine

Steak and Cabernet Sauvignon

The ultimate red wine pairing is a juicy steak with cabernet sauvignon. Because it is so high in tannins, cabernet sauvignon enhances the flavor of the steak while the fat in the meat highlights the fruits in the wine for an extremely flavorful combination. For a strong contrast of flavor, pair a medium-rare New York strip with a cabernet sauvignon from our wide selection. 

Grilled Chicken and Merlot

The medium tannins in merlot help this red wine pair perfectly with white meats like our grilled chicken breast or the DC chicken caesar salad. Merlot also balances well with tomato-based sauces, if you’re in the mood for pasta. Our fried eggplant with marinara sauce offers a great combination of textures and flavors that pair well with merlot.

Your Choice of Meat and Zinfandel

Another versatile red wine is zinfandel, which pairs with just about any kind of meat. Bolder zinfandels go best with beef while more moderate bottles taste best with pork or poultry. Try pairing baby back pork ribs, grilled chicken, or a steak of your choice with a zinfandel from our menu. Zinfandel also pairs deliciously with pasta so if you would prefer a meatless option with your wine, our veggie pasta makes another great choice.

Fatty Fish and Pinot Noir

You may have heard that fish and red wine don’t mix, but that simply depends on the pairing. If you want to pair a red wine with fish, we can help you select a light, low-tannin red that won’t clash with or overpower the delicate flavors of fish. Pinot noir is often a perfect choice—just avoid spicy flavors or else the taste could turn metallic. 

Try pairing a light pinot noir with the grilled salmon or swordfish from our menu. If you’re not a fan of fish but love pinot noir, don’t worry. Pinot noir also pairs well with earthy foods like mushrooms and truffles. Our truffle fries appetizer or grilled chicken breast with mushrooms are excellent choices to pair with pinot noir.

Bold Flavors and Malbec

A full-bodied wine like malbec requires an equally rich meal. The tannins in a malbec interact best with a leaner steak, so we recommend pairing malbec with our top sirloin steak cut. If you prefer fish, salmon is the perfect choice because it is very fatty and full of flavor. Blue cheese— such as our blue cheese salad—is another bold flavor that pairs well with malbec.

Food and Wine in Chandler, Arizona

With plenty on our menu to choose from, you can easily find the best meals to pair with red wine at DC Steak House. Whether you’re celebrating national wine day or enjoying a night out on the town, we’re sure to have exactly what you’re looking for. Make a reservation through our website or call 480-899-4400 today!

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (8/18/2021). Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash