Quick Answer: Wine Pairings with Lamb
If you plan on cooking a good red meaty lamb dish very soon, make sure to get your hands on a bottle of the surah, rioja red, cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo, or a malbec to help elevate your drink to the next level.
Is it wine pairings with lamb that you wish to know? don’t, worry, I have got you covered!
Based on my own experience and a good brush through books on this field, I present to you the 11 best wines that go with a good flavorful lamb dish.
But before we get to the wines, here is a bit about this red meat.
A Bit About Lamb
A famous healthy, flavorful, and predominantly lean meat, the taste of a well-reared lamb can almost be called grassy or pastoral.
This meat doesn’t need a lot of added seasoning to it to bring out its flavors, which makes it a great meat to cook with.
An American reared lamb, however, has a richer and sweeter taste of its own. Prominent ways to cook lamb include grilling, broiling, or roasting it to reduce the already present large fat content in it.
Now that we know a bit about the meat itself, let’s get right to its ideal wine pairings.
Best Wines to Go With Lamb
Here are my top 11 picks of wines that go well with Lamb –
1. 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 rich and full-bodied red wine with intense flavors of blackberry, pepper, and spice. It is a perfect wine for pairing with hearty meats and rich cheeses. Syrah is sure to please any red wine lover!
Syrah is a powerful, rich meaty red wine from the Rhone valley in France.
It contains the primary flavors blueberry, black plum, tobacco, and milk chocolate all of which are at least mildly used in Mexican cuisine.
The tannins in Syrah wine can help to soften and round out the flavors of lamb meat and dark fruit flavors in Syrah wine can complement the richness of lamb meat.
Here is a video that will give you a better insight into the wine –
2. Tempranillo
| Name | Tempranillo |
|---|---|
| Origin | Spain |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Cherry. Dry fig, cedar |
| 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% |
Made famous due to rioja, tempranillo is a famous Spanish wine.
Tempranillo is a versatile and food-friendly wine that pairs well with a variety of dishes.
It is a medium-bodied red wine with flavors of cherry, plum, and spice. Tempranillo is an excellent choice for a casual dinner party or a night in with friends
The primary flavors of the wine include cherry, dry figs, cedars dill, and tobacco, and the wine is known for its relatively stunning shelf life!
Tempranillo wines are typically high in acidity, which helps to cut through the richness of lamb meat. The fruitiness of the wine helps to highlight the natural sweetness of lamb meat.
Feel free to check this video out for a more in-depth understanding of the tastes of the wine-
3. Rioja Red
| Name | Rioja Red |
|---|---|
| Origin | Spain |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Cherry, plum, dill, vanilla |
| Acidity | Medium-high |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 12-15 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Universal |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Medium to Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13.5-15% |
Rioja red wine is a Spanish wine made from the Tempranillo grape.
It is one of the most popular wines in Spain and is known for its deep red color and fruity flavor. Rioja red wine is perfect for pairing with food or enjoying on its own.
The wine in itself is dry in taste and has the flavors of cherry, plum, dill, and vanilla to it.
Rioja is a medium – highly acidic, full-bodied, medium to high tannin wine that goes very well with roasted meat.
A well-seasoned lamb and the high tannins in this wine pair perfectly as the tannins cut across the high-fat content of the meat thus reducing its heaviness and letting the seasoning in it come through.
The acidity in wine helps to brighten the flavors of lamb meat.
For more information on this Spanish wine, click on this link to a video –
4. Cabernet Sauvignon
| Name | Cabernet sauvignon |
|---|---|
| Origin | Bordeaux, France |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Black cherry, black currant, graphite |
| Acidity | Medium |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20degrees C |
| Glass Type | Oversized |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13.5-15% |
The cabernet sauvignon is one of the world’s most popular red wine grapes that is a cross between the Sauvignon Blanc and the cabernet franc.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry, full-bodied red wine with high tannin levels and intense fruit flavors.
Cabernet Sauvignon wines are typically aged in oak barrels for several years before being released for sale.
Cabernet Sauvignon wines are some of the most popular and widely-produced red wines in the world and are enjoyed by wine lovers of all levels of experience.
The primary flavors of this drink include black cherry, black currant, graphite, and baking spices.
This French red wine, because of its tannins, makes for a great accompaniment to thick meats.
The wine helps to soften and round out the flavors of lamb meat and the acidity in Cabernet Sauvignon wine helps to balance out the richness of lamb meat.
Lamb, cooked and served in a spicy sauce with hints of garlic should do the trick when it comes to cabernet sauvignon
Want more information? Don’t forget to check this video on cabernet sauvignon-
5. 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 hails from the Cahors region of southwestern France.
The grape was brought to Argentina in the 19th century, where it found a new home in the Mendoza province. Today, Malbec wines are known for their deep purple color, full-body, and ripe fruit flavors.
It is dry in taste with the primary flavors encompassing red plum, blackberry, vanilla, and chocolate, all of which go beautifully together to make it a treat for the tastebuds.
The wine is known for its rich and dark fruity flavors, blackberry and sweet tobacco included thus would make a great pairing with lamb dishes which are a bit on the spicy side.
The dark, fruity tastes would pair exceedingly well with the spice of the seasoning.
Here’s a quick roundup Video –
6. 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 % |
Regional wine from Tuscany, Sangiovese is considered to be one of the most planted varieties of grapes in Italy.
Sangiovese is a versatile and food-friendly wine that pairs well with a variety of dishes. This Italian red wine is known for its bright acidity and cherry flavors.
Sangiovese is an excellent choice for your next dinner party!
Sangiovese is a red, bone-dry wine that is highly acidic and has an almost full body.
The primary flavors encompassing this wine include cherry, roasted tomatoes, oregano, and sweet balsamic.
The medium to high tannins in this wine along with the already spiced up flavors of the wine pair well with the red meat of the lamb.
The lamb, cooked with light seasoning when paired with the taste of oregano in the wine goes stellar together.
For more information on this wine, watch this video –
7. Brunello
| Name | Brunello |
|---|---|
| Origin | Italy |
| Taste | Bone-dry |
| Primary Flavors | Cherry, plum, dried herbs |
| Acidity | Medium-high |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Oversized |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Medium to Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13..5- 15% |
Also known as Brunello di Montalcino, was first labelled in 1865 by a man named Biondi-Santi. These wines are usually bone-dry in taste and have a medium to full body with medium to high acidity.
The primary flavors in the Sangiovese include cherry, plum, dry herbs, clay pot, and leather.
The high tannin and high alcohol content make this a great wine to pair when having a heavy dinner with lamb.
Because of the earthy flavors in the wine and the perfect high tannin and heavy meat pairing, this wine tops the shelves of restaurants that serve the meat.
Refer to this video for more information
8. Bordeaux Blend Red
| Name | Bordeaux blend red |
|---|---|
| Origin | Bordeaux, France |
| Taste | Bone Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Black currant, black cherry, graphite |
| Acidity | Medium |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Oversized |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13.5-15% |
Bordeaux Blend Red wine is a type of red wine that is made by blending together different types of grapes.
The most common grapes used in Bordeaux Blend Red wine are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Bordeaux Blend Red wine is known for its full-bodied flavor and its ability to age well.
Its primary flavors include that black currant, black cherry, graphite, dried herbs, and chocolate.
Lamb, when seasoned with a light salt and pepper seasoning will go stunningly well with a black currant sauce, and the fact that this wine holds the same flavor is simply a plus to help bring out the flavors of both the wine and the meat.
For more information on the wine, feel free to check this video out! –
9. Petite Sirah
| Name | Petite sarah |
|---|---|
| Origin | French |
| Taste | Dry |
| Primary Flavors | Sugarplum, dark chocolate, black pepper |
| Acidity | Medium |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 15-20 degrees C |
| Glass Type | Universal |
| Storage (years) | 10+ years |
| Wine Body | Full-bodied |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | More than 15% |
Petite Sirah is a dark, full-bodied red wine with intense flavors of blackberry, plum, and pepper.
It is often compared to Syrah or Zinfandel, but has its own unique character that sets it apart.
Petite Sirah is a versatile wine that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with a variety of foods.
The wine is dry in taste, has medium acidity, and is full-bodied. It is known for its great shelf life and the comparatively high alcohol content that it contains in itself.
Petite Sirah is a high tannin wine, thus already marking the pre-requisite for being a suitable pairing with heavy, fatty meats. The tannins in Petite Sirah wine can help to soften and round out the flavors of lamb meat.
The strong spiced flavors of the wine are a bonus that helps accentuate the seasoning on the lamb.
Here is a quick wrap-up video on this wine
10. Zinfandel
| Name | Zinfandel |
|---|---|
| Origin | Croatia |
| Taste | Smoky and fruity |
| Primary Flavors | Jam, blueberry, licorice |
| Acidity | Highly acidic |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 60-65 degrees |
| Glass Type | Bordeaux |
| Storage (years) | 3-5 years |
| Wine Body | Light |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 15-16% |
A bold red wine with a delicious jam-like flavor with a smoky and exotic note of spice, zinfandel is a brilliant wine Zinfandel is a versatile red wine that can be enjoyed with a variety of foods.
Its bold flavor pairs well with grilled meats and hearty pasta dishes. Zinfandel is also a great choice for sipping on its own.
Hailing from both USA and Italy, the flavors of this rich wine include blackberry, strawberry, sweet tobacco, and cinnamon.
It is highly alcoholic and medium-bodied with medium acidity as well.
The wine pairs well with dishes that get its cinnamon and other spice subtilities out and heavy lamb meat, when seasoned well does exactly that.
The subtle spices and hints of salinity in the meat are cut across by the fruity flavors of the wine, making a great meal!
Here is an informational video on the same –
11. Merlot
| Name | Merlot |
|---|---|
| Origin | France |
| Taste | Dark and fruity |
| Primary Flavors | Black cherry, blackberry, plum, raspberry, vanilla and mocha |
| Acidity | Moderate acidity |
| Serving Temperature (C) | 60-65 degrees |
| Glass Type | Bordeaux |
| Storage (years) | 3-5 years |
| Wine Body | Medium to full |
| Alcohol % (ABV) | 13-14% |
A French original, merlot is an extremely flavorful wine that can at times be mistaken for the world-famous cabernet sauvignon.
Merlot is a red wine that is made from the Merlot grape. It is a dry, full-bodied wine with moderate tannins and high acidity.
Merlot wines are typically fruity and have flavors of black cherry, plum, and chocolate.
The fruity notes in Merlot wine can help to accentuate the natural sweetness of lamb meat. The body of Merlot wine can help to fill out the flavors of lamb meat without overwhelming them.
Here is a supporting video for more information-
Wine Pairing Guide With Lamb
Lamb is a dish that can differ in taste based on the seasoning used, therefore choosing a wine fit for it can get tricky.
However, keeping the common characteristics of the wine in mind, a high tannin red wine that is medium to highly acidic and preferable full-bodied should do the trick.
Despite contradicting flavors, an herby wine with a chocolatey finish is considered to be the common flavor trait to make a good pairing.
If it is a fruity wine that you seek, choose a wine that contains dark fruits including those plums, cherries, etc.
Keep in mind that the wine you choose must complement the amount of fat that is in your meat, or else it could potentially turn disastrous.
FAQs
Despite red wines being the go-to wine for this meat, white wine lovers can choose o go for a California chardonnay to pair with this meat.
Bottom Line
I hope this detailed guide on the top wines to pair with lamb has been of good use to you.
Go ahead and let us know your favorite wine and lamb pairings 🙂
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