Why Red Wine Should Be Your Go-To Pairing For Lamb

Lamb is known for having an earthy, robust flavor, which means your wine selection should be equally strong. As a result, certain red wines are a must when serving lamb, as these selections will complement the succulent meat without being overpowered by its hearty flavor. Varieties like Chianti, cabernet sauvignon, and Bordeaux are excellent selections in this case as they also offer boldly nuanced and hard-to-ignore flavors.

Wine and food pairings are often considered complex, but keep in mind that the process is not as complicated as you may have been led to believe. There are several pairing techniques at your disposal. To play it safe, enjoy wine with foods that have a similar depth of flavor to ensure proper balance. Conversely, you can contrast different flavor profiles, such as tangy and rich, to bring out the inherent attributes of each taste element. Ultimately, you should let your personal tastes guide you while also striving for a good balance. When it comes to lamb, red wine appears to be the perfect accompaniment because of its fullness.

Chianti is a beloved Italian wine hailing from Tuscany that is primarily made with sangiovese grapes. Exceedingly tart, Chianti features delectable notes of herbs, espresso, and balsamic vinegar. The wine is also said to offer a gamey flavor profile, which makes it the perfect match for the earthy taste of lamb.

As for cabernet sauvignon, it can be sourced from Chile, France, and the U.S., among many other locales. It offers medium acidity and flavor notes that evoke black cherry, tobacco, licorice, and even a hint of vanilla. Bordeaux is often quite similar to cabernet sauvignon, as many versions of the wine are produced using cabernet sauvignon grapes.

However, Bordeaux refers to a region in France, and wines bearing this distinction must be created using certain manufacturing practices. In addition to cabernet sauvignon, a Bordeaux can only be manufactured with petit verdot, malbec, cabernet franc, or merlot grapes. Also, the wine must be created in the Bordeaux region, which is southwest of Paris. In addition to wine and meat combinations, you can also aim to tailor your taste buds to the specific cut of lamb you'll be serving when determining the best possible pairing.

When trying to find the best possible wine for a dinner you're planning, you can drill down further into your red wine selection by carefully considering the cut of lamb and preparation. A classic preparation, roasted lamb is known for having bold, rich flavors, which means you're free to choose a boldly flavored wine. In this case, Bordeaux is a wonderful selection thanks to the wine's fullness and complex flavor profile. Bordeaux is also a high-tannin selection, meaning that it contains elevated levels of the organic compound that can give a wine a smoother mouthfeel and contribute to the lip-puckering sensation that so many wine drinkers enjoy. That smooth mouthfeel is a great complement to the somewhat toothsome texture and meaty savor of roasted lamb. 

If your menu includes lamb shoulder, which is often braised, Chianti should be your go-to wine choice. Braising lamb combines two different cooking methods — namely, searing the meat in a pan before slowly cooking it in a liquid. This serves two important purposes: first, it ensures the meat is wonderfully tender, and second, it infuses rich flavors throughout the entire cut. Because Chianti offers lots of brightness thanks to its high acid level, it's ideal for offsetting the deep, rich flavors that result from braising. Of course, you can also experiment with different selections until you come up with the perfect red wine pairing for your tasty lamb dinner.