The majority of meat courses (with the exception of poultry and ham) will call for red wines, but once again, this isn't a hard and fast rule. How the meat is cooked and the predominance of other ingredients in the dish will influence the choice of wine. As a general rule, simply cooked roasts warrant opening better bottles and those with some age. Spicy dishes or those with lots of different flavours would be better with younger, fruitier wines.
Barbecues
Solid, young, simple reds, eg Côtes-du-Rhône, Languedoc, any young Syrah/Shiraz, Spanish Garnacha (Navarra), South African Pinotage, Barbera, Valpolicella, Salice Salentino, anything from Zinfandel or Primitivo, Nemea from Greece, Beaujolais (preferably Morgon) or sturdy Southern French rosés. The list is endless. The best wines for the job will have enough flavour to cope with all the seasonings that go with barbecues and all the smoke!!
Beef
- Steak, burgers, mixed grills, kebabs or meatballs As for barbecues.
- Boiled A good partner with old wine – go for the finest you can afford from Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Northern Rhône, or mature Rioja.
- Stew Full-bodied reds such as St. Emilion, Pomerol, Burgundy, Rhône, either full flavoured northern Syrah or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, top Languedoc reds, Australian Shiraz, Californian/Chilean Cabernet , fine Italian from Tuscany or Piedmont, Rioja Reserva.
- Roast The finest red that you can afford.
- Stroganoff Very full-bodied red eg Valpolicella Reciotto Amarone, Châteauneuf, top Languedoc, Heavy Australian, Château Musar or top Californian Zinfandel.
Black pudding, sausages
Good gutsy reds from Rhône, Languedoc, Italy or Oz. Some would say that good beer is best.
Cassoulet (rich, garlicky bean stew from south-west France with lots of other things thrown in)
Cahors, Madiran, Corbières, Minervois or any other full Languedoc red.
Chicken, turkey, guinea fowl
Go well with any wine, red or white. Perfect foil for Red Burgundy especially one with age. Also good with rich full-bodied whites, eg classic White Burgundy, Alsace Pinot Gris, German Riesling Spätlese. If spicy, then go for full-throttle reds from Australia or the Rhône.
Chicken in a creamy sauce
Very easy to match; white is obvious choice and best of all is Jura, especially Château-Chalon. White Burgundy, Alsace Pinot Gris or creamy New World Chardonnay also good.
Coq au vin
Any red Burgundy or top Beaujolais eg Moulin-à-Vent. One bottle for the pot, one (or two) for the table.
Choucroute or sauerkraut
Dry Alsace white, young dry Riesling or Sylvaner or a large quantity of chilled Pilsner.
Cold meats
As for charcuterie. Cold beef goes wonderfully well with something finer from Bordeaux or Burgundy. Salt beef with its mandatory gherkin, rye bread and horseradish goes better with beer, good tea or maybe a young gutsy northern Rhône.
Curry
Not easy to match with wine. Alsace Gewurztraminer can work as can spicy rosés such as those from the south of France.
Duck and goose
Brilliant with the richest wines around such as red or white Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, St. Emilion or Pomerol or even Margaux, top Côte de Nuits or grand whites from Burgundy, mature Alsace Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, Pfalz Riesling, mature vintage Champagne. Also excellent with robust reds from the south west of France such as Cahors and Madiran.
Feathered game (pheasant, grouse, partridge, wild duck, pigeon, wood cock)
Top red Burgundy or northern Rhône, mature St.Emilion or Pomerol, mature Madiran or top Languedoc, Chianti Classico, Barolo, Rioja Reserva, top Californian red especially Zinfandel, top Australian Shiraz.
Game pie
As above.
Haggis
Malt whisky, Rhône, Moulin-à-Vent, young Cornas, Greek Nemea, Chateau Musar, Alsace Pinot Gris or young Pouilly-Fuissé.
Gammon, ham
Red Loire, Médoc, red Côte de Beaune, Pinot Blanc from anywhere, Alsace or Rheingau Riesling.
Lamb
- Roast Côte de Nuits, Médoc, Chianti Classico, Rioja Reserva, Madiran, northern Rhône.
- Chops As for roast but younger and less grand, also add Beaujolais, Côtes-du-Rhône and young Loire reds, Chilean Merlot, Argentinean Malbec. In the summer, try dry southern French rosé.
- Stews As for roast but leaning towards heartier wines so St. Emilion, Pomerol, southern Rhône, southern Italian, Greek.
Liver and bacon
Young quality (cru) Beaujolais, Chinon, young Claret, red Bergerac, Barbera, Italian Cabernet/Merlot eg. Maso Lodron, Argentine Malbec.
Confit of goose or duck
Reds from south west France eg. Madiran, Cahors, Pécharmant, Côte de Bourg or for white, Alsace Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer.
Ossobuco (stewed veal shin)
Barolo, Bandol, Madiran, St. Emilion, top Italian or New World Cabernet.
Pork
Roast pork is extremely versatile and goes with either red or white. For reds, as for lamb or whites as for duck. Also cider or best bitter ale.
Rabbit
Excellent with Pinot Noir especially Burgundy eg Volnay or Savigny. Also good with cru Beaujolais, Saint-Emilion, Crôzes-Hermitage, Châteauneuf, many Languedoc reds, Rioja, Dolcetto, Valpolicella Classico, Nemea. Also wonderful with vintage Champagne.
Risotto
Depends what's in it but typically, Pinot Bianco, Barbera, Dolcetto or young Chianti. If with white truffles, then Barolo. With black truffles, then Rhône.
Pasta, meat sauce
Montepulciano, Valpolicella, Salice Salentino, Brindisi, Aglianico, Languedoc or Cotes du Rhône
Stews, casseroles, shepherd's pie, steak and kidney pie or pudding, Couscous
Côtes-du-Rhône, (eg. red Lirac) Châteauneuf, Cru Beaujolais, Santenay, Mercurey, Claret, Australian Shiraz, Barbera, Southern Italian, Spanish, Languedoc, Chateau Musar, Greek Nemea…the list could go on.
Venison, boar, game etc
Big, strong reds Cornas, Hermitage, Barolo, Valpolicella Amarone, Châteauneuf, Priorato, Australian Shiraz, Cabernet or blends of the two, big Languedoc reds, St.Emilion and Pomerol, Bandol, old style red Burgundy and certain whites like Alsace Pinot Gris and Rhine Spätlese.