Why Red Wine with Red Meat?

While there are no hard and fast rules for pairing wine with food, there are some recommendations that make a lot of sense. When talking about pairing red meat with wine, the suggestion is almost always that you select a red. Why? Because many of the flavors found in red wines are natural compliments to red meat.

• Spice: Black pepper is an almost mandatory seasoning for a nice cut of meat, so a spicy red wine, like a Shiraz, will help add to that.
• Smokiness: For a grilled or barbecued piece of meat, there will be strong smoke flavors enhancing the meat, which can be mimicked with smokiness picked up from the wood barrels in some red wines. Almost every red wine is aged in wood barrels.
• Red Fruit: Some meat dishes are served with a sauce of red fruit, like cherries, to add a bit of sweetness. These same flavors can come from a red wine, like Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.