Match Your Beef With White Wine For A Change

Most of the time, we reach for a good glass of red wine with our grass-fed steak.

In fact, the story of Verde began when our founder was sipping a glass of bold Malbec with grass-fed beef on the wide, open pastures of South America.

While we know without a doubt that grass-fed beef and red wine will always make a great match, the possible, mouthwatering pairings with white wine might surprise you.

For your next steak dinner, here are our suggestions for swapping out your bottle of red for a bottle of cool, crisp white:

Chardonnay

Steak brings rich flavors to the table, so a similarly rich Chardonnay with some body stands up to the beef. Chardonnay offers some acidity to balance with the fat in beef, much like the tannins in red wine.

Consider a Chardonnay aged in oak barrels. The oakiness adds to the wine’s depth and richness.

Keep in mind what toppings or sauces you’re pairing with your steak. A creamy sauce, such as a traditional béarnaise, goes well with Chardonnay. But you’ll want to avoid tangy, acidic or spicy sauces and sides.

Chenin Blanc

A full-bodied and fruity Chenin Blanc is another great option. Choose one with body that is robust enough to stand up to the rich, juicy beef, especially a ribeye or strip steak.

If you’re eating a buttery, lean tenderloin, select a lighter Chenin Blanc that has less body.

White Rhône

You might not be familiar with White Rhône. Made with blends of white grapes grown in the Rhône Valley in France, these wines have a characteristic richness and the right amount of acidity to complement a marbled steak, such as a ribeye. It’s a nice alternative to Chardonnay.

Champagne

Champagne with a high-quality steak is almost as iconic as red wine. It’s a pairing to savor with a grilled steak, with a salty crust and a medium rare inside. The saltiness combined with the fresh grilled taste balances nicely with a Blanc de Blanc Champagne, made with Chardonnay grapes.

Dry Riesling

Whether roasted or grilled, filet mignon matches beautifully with a dry Riesling. While it’s a refreshing white, it also has a certain intensity that balances the smoky yet subtle flavors of the beef.

If you still can’t imagine sipping white wine with your grass-fed steak, read our guide to pairing (mostly) red wine with grilled beef.