The Absolute Best White Wine To Pair With Steak

If you ask anyone about the best wines to pair with steak, most people are going to suggest a red wine. But you may not like red wine, and even if you do, sometimes you're craving something a little lighter. We recently had a chance to talk with Lexi Stephens, a Wine Educator with a great presence on Instagram, about pairing white wine with steak. She had a premium pick for anyone looking to break out of the red wine mold.

"This depends on the preparation of the steak and the sauce, but if you're keeping it simple, I would go with a Blanc de Noirs Champagne," Stephens told Tasting Table. You might not be familiar with the reasons as to why Champagne pairs so well with steak, or even that the two pair together at all. But Stephens knows wine like the back of her hand and this food pairing proves it. She explains that Blanc de Noirs "is a fuller-bodied Champagne with crisp acidity that will counterbalance the steak's fattiness."

You may be scratching your head wondering how anyone would think to pair Champagne with steak given that big-bodied red wines are the typical choice. Champagne and other sparkling white wines are almost the antithesis to something like a cabernet sauvignon, after all. But it's that exact contrast that makes Champagne so perfect for the role.

To understand why that's the case, we need to look at the difference between complementary and congruent wine pairings. Red wine is a congruent pairing with steak because the two share similar flavor profiles with deep aromas, rich tannins, and a big body to tie them together. White wine (and sparkling white wine in particular) is a complementary wine pairing; instead of striking a harmonious tone, it functions as a counterbalance.

In this way, you can spice up your dinner by introducing unexpected elements to a dish that's become overly familiar. Complementary wine pairings are a touch more difficult to pull off because there still needs to be some element that ties the food and wine together. As Stephens points out, the wine's crisp acidity directly interacts with the fattiness of the steak, acting as a palate cleanser. Where a red wine would settle in and imitate those rich notes, Champagne works to provide contrast. A wine doesn't have to share a similar profile to the food to be a good complement, but Champagne and steak is a great example of a complementary pairing done right.