Steak Dinner at Home

Wine and steak is the most American dinner pairing that I can think of. While the French have wine for every meal, and Americans are happy to drink beer with almost anything, a perfectly cooked steak at a nice restaurant almost demands a high quality red wine. While we don't often get out to enjoy a steak dinner, we do try to enjoy one at home from time to time. And while we don't buy the most expensive of wines, like Opus One, we do try to find the red wine best-suited to the pairing that won't break the bank.

The simple rule with pairing wine with steak is: go with red. Unless you have some deep rooted aversion to red wine, it will be your best option, providing the spice, or earthiness, or even that hint of red fruit that will bring out the best flavors in red meat. We picked up a bottle of Chateau Lafayette Cabernet Sauvignon, and it worked out well. The wine had hints of fruit, along with a certain spiciness that added some complexity to the steak. There were also some deep earthy notes that played well with the wilted kale salad that accompanied the steak. In both cases, the wine wasn’t so strong as to overpower the flavors of the food, instead bringing some added layers to the meal.