Wine and steak are a combo as classic as linen in summer: simple, iconic, and always works. And just like your favorite linen sets, there’s a wide range of options. Different cuts, different blends, different flavors. But when you get the pairing right, it’s an absolute vibe.
The best wine with steak combination is more nuanced than red vs white. It’s about the cut, the mood you're in, and whether there’s chimichurri involved.
What Is The Best Drink To Have With Steak?
The easy answer is a dynamically blended red wine. One that lifts the entire meal without trying too hard. You don’t need a wine cellar or a sommelier-level education to get it right. You just need a red wine that works with real food, feels chic on your table, and plays beautifully with the steak’s flavor.
The Best Red Wine With Steak
Red wine is a classic pairing for good reason. A layered red wine with depth and freshness complements the richness of marbled cuts, balances the char from the grill, and adds dimension to leaner steaks.
Medly’s Organic French Red is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Cinsault. Malbec brings plush fruit, Grenache adds softness, Cabernet Sauvignon layers in structure, and Cinsault rounds it all out with a subtle brightness that keeps the blend fresh and approachable.
It’s layered enough to stand up to a ribeye, clean enough for a filet, and versatile enough to move effortlessly across your favorite cuts. Bold yet approachable, it’s the kind of wine that makes weeknight steak dinners feel like an occasion. This is your low-effort, high-impact move.
How Different Cuts Bring Out Different Sides of the Wine
One of the best parts about pairing Medly’s Organic French Red with steak is how the flavors play together. Every cut of steak has its own personality, and that shifts the way the wine shows up in your glass. The pairings become a conversation between the food and the wine.
Filet Mignon and Tenderloin: These lean, buttery cuts make the wine feel softer and silkier. The fruit-forward notes become more pronounced, adding a fresh lift to every bite.
Ribeye: All that marbling and char highlight the deeper layers of the French Red. The tannins mellow, the earthy tones get richer, and the whole sip feels more indulgent.
Flank Steak: With its lean texture and bold marinades, flank steak draws out the wine’s brighter side. The freshness and juicy fruit notes rise up, matching the energy of sauces like chimichurri or citrus glazes.
Sirloin: This balanced cut lets the wine show off its full range - fruit, structure, and freshness in harmony. It’s a match that feels effortless, yet complete.
The magic of pairing isn’t just that the wine complements the steak. It’s that the steak reveals new dimensions of the wine, turning a weeknight meal into something layered and memorable.
The Best Wine To Drink With Filet Mignon: Grenache
Filet mignon is all about elegance. It’s tender, lean, and buttery on the palate. It doesn’t want a wine that overpowers.
Instead, it shines with something structured yet silky; so pair it with Grenache, a red that knows how to whisper and still be heard. Grenache’s red-berry fruit and gentle spice glide alongside filet’s fine texture, adding charm without the heaviness of other reds.
Keep the steak seasoning simple - salt, pepper, and a pat of herbed butter - and Grenache returns the favor with aromas of strawberry, cherry, and a little white pepper that make each bite feel lifted, not weighed down.
If you’re searing hard or want a more “steakhouse at home” feel, Grenache is the more versatile match. Serve it slightly cool (55–60°F) and give it a quick 15-30 minute decant; you’ll see the wine relax, and the filet stays front and center.
Serve with mashed potatoes and maybe a flicker of candlelight, and you’ll have a steakhouse feel with no dress code required.
The Best Wine To Drink With Beef Tenderloin: Cabernet
A whole roasted tenderloin has more savory crust and pan juices than a single filet, so we level up to a Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is your “Sunday best” pairing - Cab’s firm tannin frames the roast like a great tailor, giving shape to say a thyme-and-garlic crust while its blackcurrant and cedar notes echo the fond in your skillet.
Slice the beef rosy, spoon the jus, and watch how each sip resets your palate for the next bite.
Pour Cab at 60-65°F and decant 45-60 minutes, which softens the edges and brings out that graphite-meets-cassis core. It’s an easy win: refined but never fussy.
The Best Wine To Drink With Ribeye: Cabernet
Ribeye is a flavor bomb. Rich, marbled, and unapologetically bold. This cut begs for something that can stand next to it with confidence. Cabernet is the answer: tannin meets fat, blackcurrant and savory notes mirror the grill.
Season simply with sea salt and cracked pepper; finish with rosemary and a thread of lemon zest to lift the fat. Grilled eggplant, blistered tomatoes, or fennel with olive oil make easy sides that echo the coast.
Choose a Cab with present but refined tannins and measured oak. Serve at 60-65°F after 45-60 minutes in a decanter for that calm, steakhouse-at-home rhythm.
The Best Wine To Drink With Flank Steak: Malbec
Flank loves direct heat and a confident slice across the grain. Malbec brings dark fruit, supple tannin, and a smooth finish that flatters the cut’s lean intensity. The char plays with the wine’s plum and cocoa tones; the moderate structure keeps everything lively but relaxed.
Lean into Mediterranean flavors or a fresh chimichurri with chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar for a classic combo.
If you prefer a more savory profile, a Southwest-France style (Cahors) Malbec adds graphite and herb, while many Argentine bottlings give plusher fruit. Decant 30-45 minutes and pour at 60-65°F for a rounded, unhurried glass.
The Best Wine To Drink With Sirloin: Malbec
Sirloin sits in the middle: distinctly beefy, moderately rich. Malbec meets it with easy poise. With notes of ripe berries, a hint of violet, and just-right grip, the pairing feels composed but not formal. It's bistro energy without the fuss.
Pan sear in butter and olive oil, finish with parsley-garlic gremolata, and add crisp potatoes or a simple arugula salad with lemon. Pick a Malbec that’s medium to full but not heavy; subtle oak is welcome, sweetness isn’t. Give it 30-45 minutes of air and serve at 60-65°F for a smooth, cohesive finish.
So, What's Better With Steak, Red Or White Wine?
The classic move is always red wine with steak. And it makes sense, red wine is richer in tannins which link up with the beef’s protein and fat, softening any rough edges in the wine and making each bite taste richer.
That gentle “polish” resets your palate, so the next forkful pops. Plus, reds have the body and structure to stand up to the char and umami of a steak.
That’s also why white wine matches better with poultry and seafood. White wines tend to support the delicacy of a seared whitefish or herbed chicken instead of steamrolling over it like a red wine can.
Red meat = red wine.
The real question is which type of red fits the bill. That's where red blends like our organic French red shine. It's intentionally bold enough for ribeye, smooth enough for filet, and fruity enough for lighter red meat dishes.
Ultimately, the best wine with steak is the one that highlights the sear, the sauce, the seasoning – every detail you worked for.
The Best Wine With Steak? Medly!
Steak doesn’t have to be reserved for white tablecloths and special occasions. With Medly, you can create food and wine weeknight meals that are elevated but still effortless.
Medly delivers that with certified organic sourcing, zero sugar, and freshness that lasts up to 45 days after opening.
No fuss. No bottles. No waste. Just organic French red wine that shows up beautifully every time, whether it’s Tuesday’s filet or Saturday’s ribeye.
This is steak night, Medly-style: bold, fresh, and unforgettable.
