5 Wine and Beef Tenderloin Pairings to Try.
It’s a marriage made in heaven when it comes to beef and red wine. Consider the following scenario: you’re sitting by an open fire, inhaling the delicious fragrances of cooked meat, and you’re holding a glass of similarly fragrant red in your hands.
The experience of biting into a tender, juicy piece of steak and pairing the richness and taste with a powerful, structured red wine is unparalleled.
The correct bottle of wine will bring tastes to life on your tongue, making them bounce and come alive.
Take advantage of our guide to help you choose the best wine choices for your beef tenderloin meal, whether you’re serving it to a large group of family and friends, a special date, or just yourself.
Suggestions for Serving Wine with Beef Tenderloin
When combining a glass of wine with a cut of beef, you want to strike a balance between the proteins and fat in the meat and the tannins in the wine to get the best results. Tanning occurs when tannins attach to protein molecules, creating a very tasty taste combination.
Generally speaking, beef tenderloin is the most tender — and hence the most costly — cut of beef available. Tenderness in this muscle may be explained by the fact that it is an oblong muscle that stretches down the back region of the spine and consequently does not get much activity.
The absence of connective tissue present in weight-bearing muscles results in a buttery mouthfeel that is devoid of any noticeable chewiness.
Because beef tenderloin is a very lean cut of meat, overcooking it will cause it to become dry. Grilling it over high heat to a rare or medium-rare degree of doneness brings forth the greatest flavor.
Selecting a brawny wine with smokey and earthy elements such as tobacco or soil will help to balance out the smoky tastes in the meat while also providing a nice contrast to the meat.
When it comes to a lean piece of meat like beef tenderloin, older vintages will have mellowed tannins that will pair well with the meat.
Prevent wines that are very structured or that are too young if you want to avoid a harsh, astringent flavor. Avoid pairing fruity wines with beef since the sweetness will dominate the flavor of the meat.
Pairings for Beef Tenderloin with Wine
Think about some of the following recommendations for a tried-and-true combination when you’re picking out the right bottle of wine to go with your beef tenderloin.
Despite the fact that all of the following will work well for your dinner, get to know some of the flavor notes for each variety so that you may select one that meets your own preferences.
After all, wine matching is all about creating the most delicious dinner possible for you and your friends and family.
Bordeaux
A well-aged Bordeaux will have properly mellowed tannins, making it the ideal wine to combine with tenderloin of beef. Bordeaux grapes have big bodies and are highly organized in their growth. Even though they include just a little quantity of fruit, the tastes of herbs and chocolate in their flavor profiles will pair nicely with the flavors of the meat.
If you’re looking for a Left Bank Bordeaux, try Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, which offers flavors of olive and truffle as well as a silky texture on the palate.
When cooking with a Bordeaux, keep the rest of the seasoning basic (salt and pepper alone! ), so that the taste profile of the wine isn’t overshadowed by the rest of the flavors in the dish.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a kind of grape that is grown in the United States.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark-colored wine that is full-bodied with a medium amount of acidity. It is made from the grape Cabernet Sauvignon. As a result, it pairs well with a beef cut such as tenderloin because of its dry and tannic character.
Wines like Cabernet Sauvignon are matured in oak barrels, and as a result, they have a variety of aromas to offer in the glass.
These flavors may vary from pepper to smoke to black fruit to graphite to vanilla, and they all pair nicely with the flavors of beef tenderloin. Cabernet Sauvignon from California, Australia, or Chile is the best choice.
Malbec
Although Malbec is a medium-structured wine, its notes of vanilla, leather, tobacco, molasses, and chocolate pair nicely with the savory aromas of beef tenderloin because of their complementary qualities.
It has a delicate finish, making it ideal for serving with lean types of meat. Malbec is a grape variety that originated in France, but Argentina is currently the world’s leading producer of this varietal. When it comes to Argentinian Malbec, you practically can’t go wrong.
Merlot
Merlot is well-known for its ability to combine well with a variety of foods. Despite the fact that the film Sideways earned Merlot a terrible name, it’s a terrific wine to pair with any delicious dinner, particularly one that includes meat.
Merlot has a strong and full-bodied flavor, as well as a pleasant acidity. Additionally, because of its structure, it is an excellent accompaniment to meats such as beef tenderloin.
Merlot features flavors of bay leaf, chocolate, and vanilla that go nicely with lean cuts of meat and are particularly good with lamb. Experiment with a Merlot from Italy, such as Tua Rita Redigaffi or Petrolo Galatrona, for its integrated tannins and earthy taste notes, rather than a California Merlot.
Syrah
Syrah’s tobacco and peppery flavors, as well as its medium-high tannins, make it an excellent pairing with beef tenderloin. Syrah is a grape variety that originated in France, but it has found a new home in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz. It’s a fantastic match for spicy red meats like ribeye and brisket.
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is the most popular red variety in Spain, and it has a fantastic taste profile that is both affordable and versatile when it comes to food combinations.
As a result of its long maturation in oak barrels (usually a year or more), Tempranillo’s notes of cedar and smoke enhance the tastes of grilled meat.
Try a selection from Rioja or Ribera del Duero – both considered offering some of the most dazzling examples of Tempranillo.
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