How to know which wine goes with which type of food

Question

I'm planning on having some friends over next week, and since I really enjoy grilling I plan to make some good steaks for them. They like wines, I personally would just drink a cold beer considering the heat of the grilling and that we reach high temperatures this time of the year. And well the issue is that I know nothing about wines and how to combine them with different meals. But for the sake of not having a too broad question, I'd like to know which wine could go best with a steak and why.

Answer 1

From Classic American Steak and Wine Pairings.

Best Wines to Drink with Steak

Cabernet Sauvignon

"The king of red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is often the number one choice for steak and wine pairings. Beef steak has lots of strong flavor from the meat itself and from smoke, marinade, sauce, or pepper, so it calls for choosing a wine that is also full-bodied. Cabernet Sauvignon’s robust fruit tastes and powerful flavors can stand up to most any steak. The tannins in Cabernet Sauvignon (coming mainly from the red skin of the grape) and relatively high alcohol levels also help cut through the fat of the steak, making the wine taste smoother and less bitter… and the steak more flavorful."

California Zinfandel

"Zinfandel has moderate tannins and high acidity, making it a fitting match with steaks that contain relatively good amounts of fat. Rib Eye, T-Bone or Porterhouse steaks are ideal partners for Zinfandel. A little less refined than Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel has a characteristically bold grapey spiciness and thick richness on the pallet."

Malbec

"Malbec is an up and coming red wine that is definitely steak friendly. In fact, Malbec is the number one consumed red wine in Argentina where it’s considered the ideal wine to pair with beef. Malbec is a versatile, rich and food-friendly red wine that may break with tradition but won’t break the bank. Check out Malbec wines from Argentina or Chile. You won’t be disappointed."

Other Good Red Wine Pairings with Steak

"The classic wine choices to pair with grilled steaks are big, bold red wines, especially California Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Merlot, Syrah (Shiraz from Australia), Sangiovese, Chianti and Pinot Noir are also good choices and will produce softer red wine and steak pairings, which you may prefer depending on the steak, the doneness you prefer and whatever else you are serving."

Rosés, Blush Wine and Sparkling Wines

"Not to be forgotten, a crisp chilled Rosé wine or a bubbly Sparkling Wine (especially brut or rosé) is almost always an enjoyable pairing with steak and other grilled fare. Just be sure to chill them in the refrigerator or on ice for several hours before serving. In fact, we recommend also chilling your red wines to avoid any “hot wine” influence on the taste of the steaks."

Answer 2

I kind of like a Zinfandel but any darker red. Just google "wine pairing with grilled steak". The Best Wine Pairings for Grilled Steak

Answer 3

I am always looking to pair the best wine with my meal and I have a book "What to Drink with What you Eat". It pairs wine with food - and a separate section -food with wine. That is a list of every imaginable dish and pairs a wine with it. The it lists all varieties of wine and then pairs a dish with it. I have never looked for a paring when either the dish or the wine wasn't listed.

Example: Fried Chicken - KFC -Pinot Noir. Popeye's -Sherry

Over 10 pages of different cheeses with individual wine pairings.

It also lists other beverages like Tea, Beer , Coctails etc