Quick Answer: Wine Pairing with Lamb Shank
Lamb shank is a type of meat cut that goes equally well with red and white wines. It tastes its best when paired with wines like Sangiovese, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Riesling, Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, and Grenache. Pair any of these wines with lamb shanks for a delish dining experience.
This is a detailed guide to finding the best wine to compliment lamb shanks and gratify your taste buds.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started.
But first, let’s get to know a bit more about lamb shank before we get to know the details about the best wines to pair it with.
About Lamb Shank
Lamb shank is an affordable meat cut. Shank is the meat obtained from the bottom section of the leg, exactly below the knee.
It requires slow cooking. So that the rigid meat becomes soft, juicy, and seasoned accurately.
Shanks can be French trimmed i.e.; a small section of meat is eliminated from the bone to make the shank look visually appealing.
So, are you drooling over some lamb shanks already? But before that let’s find the perfect wine match for it.
Best Wine Pairing with Lamb Shank
Here are our top wine picks for Lamb Shank –
1. Sangiovese
| Name | Sangiovese |
|---|---|
| Origin | Tuscany |
| Taste | Bone-dry |
| Primary Flavors | Cherry, roasted tomato, oregano |
| Acidity | Medium-high |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Universal |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Medium to Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13.5-15 % |
Sangiovese is a red wine whose flavors depend upon the region from where the grapes have been obtained. You can get a dry, semi-sweet, and sweet Sangiovese wine bottle based on the sugars added to it.
Along with the fruity flavors mentioned above, Sangiovese comes with savory notes of tomatoes, smoke, herbs, and tobacco.
With medium to high tannin levels and medium to full-bodied texture, Sangiovese makes an incredible pair with lamb shanks.
Click on the below-given link to know more about Sangiovese:
2. Syrah
| Name | Syrah |
|---|---|
| Origin | Rhone Valley, France |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Blueberry, black plum, milk chocolate |
| Acidity | Medium |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Universal |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13.5-15% |
Syrah is a dark-skinned grape primarily used to produce red wine. It is also known as Shiraz. It consists of meaty, spicy, and fruity flavors that suit any kind of meaty dish.
It’s an opaque wine with moderate tannin levels.
Syrah is a chewy wine with notes of tobacco and smoke making it a perfect pair for lamb shanks. Also, its acidity levels are perfect to cut through the fats present in the meat.
To better understand Syrah’s traits, check out this quick video:
3. Pinot Noir
| Name | Pinot noir |
|---|---|
| Origin | France |
| Taste | Dry and sweet |
| Primary Flavors | Cherry and raspberry |
| Acidity | Bright acidity |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 55-60 degrees |
| Glass Type | Burgundy |
| Storage (years) | 5 years |
| Wine Body | Light - Medium |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 12-15% |
Pinot Noir comes with a rich fruity flavor along with a velvety and vibrant ruby shade. It comes with a bundle of distinct flavors each maintaining its individuality.
With a dry taste and full-bodied texture, Pinot Noir comes in distinct flavors like smoky, fruity, and earthy notes.
Pinot Noir comes with few tannins and less acidity making it a perfect pair for lamb shanks as it doesn’t overpower its meat’s natural taste.
Check out this video to better understand Pinot Noir:
4. Primitivo (Zinfandel)
| Name | Primitivo (Zinfandel) |
|---|---|
| Origin | Croatia |
| Taste | Dry and Sweet |
| Primary Flavors | Raspberry, Cherry, Plum, and Blackberry |
| Acidity | Moderately Acidic |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 17 - 20 degrees |
| Glass Type | Zinfandel Wine Glass |
| Storage (years) | 5 - 8 years |
| Wine Body | Medium-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13 - 15% |
Primitivo is a red wine that comes along with black and red fruit flavors coupled with spicy pepper notes for that much-needed zing. It comes with low tannin levels making it an easy-to-go option for meaty dishes.
Its moderate acidity and medium-bodied texture make it an excellent pair with lamb shanks as its meaty taste gets perfectly balanced.
Get insights regarding Primitivo through this video:
5. Cabernet Sauvignon
| Name | Cabernet Sauvignon |
|---|---|
| Origin | France |
| Taste | Dry and fruity |
| Primary Flavors | Blackcurrant, cedar, oaks, herbs |
| Acidity | Highly acidic |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 59-68 degrees |
| Glass Type | Bordeaux / Standard red |
| Storage (years) | 7-10 years |
| Wine Body | Medium to full |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | Over 13.5% |
Cabernet Sauvignon comes with a dark fruity taste of black cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant with hints of vanilla, wood, and spice.
It comes with a medium to full-bodied texture, medium levels of acidity, and moderate to high tannins.
The acidity, alcohol percentage, and tannin levels of this wine complement lamb shanks exceptionally well. It excellently strikes a balance with the meaty flavors of the dish.
Click on the below-given link to know more about Cabernet Sauvignon:
6. Malbec
| Name | Malbec |
|---|---|
| Origin | Argentina |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Red plum, blackberry, vanilla |
| Acidity | Medium- low acidic |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15- 20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Universal |
| Storage (years) | 5-10 years |
| Wine Body | Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13.5- 15 % |
Malbec is a red wine that comes with a great structure and a chocolatey feel on the tongue. It comes with a soft and smooth texture, leaving you craving for more.
It’s lower in acidity than most wines, has moderate tannin levels, and has a full wine body. It’s a great option for people who’d like to avoid bitterness.
Malbec pairs exceptionally well with meat-based dishes, like lamb shanks due to its moderate tannins and medium acidity levels.
To better understand the nuances of Malbec, check out this quick video:
7. Riesling
| Name | Riesling |
|---|---|
| Origin | Germany |
| Taste | Off-Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Lime, green apple, jasmine |
| Acidity | High |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 3-7 degrees C |
| Glass Type | White |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Light-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | Under 10% |
Riesling is a white wine with rich fruity flavors as it’s rarely oaked and comes pure. It’s intensely aromatic and brings along with it a variety of floral notes.
It comes in several variants like dry, semi-dry, and sweet as well as sparkling white wine. It comes back with the vibrant and powerful heritage of Germany.
The fruity flavors, acidity, and wine body of Riesling endorse the feel and taste of lamb shanks and will complement it exceptionally well.
Get more details about Riesling through this quick video:
8. Champagne
| Name | Champagne |
|---|---|
| Origin | France |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Citrus, yellow apple, cream |
| Acidity | High |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 3.3- 7.3 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Flute |
| Storage (years) | 5-20 years |
| Wine Body | Light-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 12.20% |
Champagne is the perfect blend of grapes like Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay and is exclusively prepared in the Champagne region of France.
That’s how it gets its name. It is a sparkling white wine that generates a velvety feel in every sip.
Sparkling wines like Champagne go incredibly well with lamb shanks. This wine comes with notes of egg and bread that’ll complement the flavors of this meat.
9. Sauvignon Blanc
| Name | Sauvignon Blanc |
|---|---|
| Origin | France |
| Taste | Dry and fruity |
| Primary Flavors | Blackcurrant, cedar, oaks, herbs |
| Acidity | Highly acidic |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 59-68 degrees |
| Glass Type | Bordeaux / Standard red |
| Storage (years) | 7-10 years |
| Wine Body | Medium to full |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | Over 13.5% |
Sauvignon Blanc comes with low sugar levels and high acidity levels. This gives it a refreshing feel in every sip as you experience a tingly sensation.
The dry taste along with medium-bodied texture and fruity notes like grapefruit, passion fruit, and white peach gives Sauvignon Blanc an identity of its own.
The crispiness and peppery notes of Sauvignon Blanc go flawlessly well with any type of lamb shank recipe.
Check out this video about Sauvignon Blanc:
10. Grenache
| Name | Grenache |
|---|---|
| Origin | Spain, France |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Grilled plum, leather, dried herbs |
| Acidity | Medium |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Universal |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Medium to full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | More than 15% |
Grenache is a red wine with juicy red fruit flavors with a dash of cinnamon-like spice. It’s thin-skinned and has a similar profile to that of Pinot Noir.
It comes with high alcohol content and moderate tannin levels. Grenache is available in a variety of styles, namely, dry, semi-dry, and sweet.
A medium-bodied white wine with moderate tannins and acidity is simply the best option to turn to for pairing with lamb shanks.
Get insights regarding Grenache through this video:
Wine Pairing Guide for Lamb Shanks
A slow-cooked tender meat like lamb shank needs a wine that won’t overpower its sublime taste and delicate feel.
A light-bodied Pinot Noir is the perfect wine to settle for in this case. A full-bodied wine will ruin the delicate flavors of your lamb shank. (Read more: What is Wine Body)
Roasted lamb shanks are packed with flavors and their texture isn’t that tender. Hence, you can go with a full-bodied red wine in this case.
A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon is your ideal go-to option. Primitivo is another variant you should try, when in doubt.
Syrah is yet another wine variant that’s perfect to match the tender flavors of lamb shanks. Its ideal acidity levels will help you cleanse your palate.
Similarly, Champagne comes with a sparkling acidity level that’ll flush your palate and make you ready to grab your next bit.
A light-bodied Malbec will complement the rich flavors and heaviness of lamb shanks. Its fruity flavors will suit the earthy flavors of the meat.
Smoked lamb shanks can be paired with Sauvignon Blanc as this wine comes with earthy and smoky notes. That’ll boost your overall dining experience.
Recipes with Lamb Shank
Lamb shanks can be used to prepare a wide range of dishes such as braised lamb shanks, Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes, lamb shanks with chickpeas and Moroccan spices, slow-cooked lamb shanks, sticky spiced lamb shanks, lamb shank madras, sweetly spiced lamb shanks with quince, lamb shanks with pea and mint pie, all-in-one posh lamb shank, braised lamb shanks with spring veggies and gremolata, and Kleftiko-style lamb shanks.
FAQs
The nutritional value of lamb shanks for 100 g is 153 calories, 24 g of proteins, 5.7 g of total fats with 2 g of saturated fats, 56 mg of sodium, 6.8 mg of calcium, and 74 mg of cholesterol. It has nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin B, and iron.
Eating lamb shanks has several benefits as it supports heart health and reduces the risks of chronic heart diseases. It’s an excellent source of iron and vitamin B. It boosts your immunity, improves DNA synthesis, cell growth, and nullifies inflammation in the body.
Lamb shanks get along well with a few side dishes like roasted carrots, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, cauliflower, pomegranate and apple salad, harissa with honey-roasted carrots, rosemary roasted potatoes, sumac fries with garlic feta labneh, melted onions, Fattoush salad with mint dressing, prosciutto and fig salad, and baked asparagus with parmesan.
Bottom Line
Now that you’ve made it to the end, I hope this article was useful enough for you to locate your ideal wine pair for lamb shanks.
Also, don’t forget to share with us your ideal wine pair for lamb shanks, in case we missed out on it.
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