Skip to content
Rate This Wine
Pair my dinnerWine with steakWine with salmonWine with pizzaSee all: PairingsCabernet SauvignonPinot NoirSauvignon BlancSee all: WinesBest wine clubsCheapest wine clubsFor beginnersSee all: Wine clubsWine pairing finderParty wine calculatorRate this wineSee all: ToolsLearn

Meat · Wine pairing

What wine goes with beef stew & braises?

Slow-cooked beef in red wine needs a hearty red with some acidity: Syrah, Cabernet or the same wine you cooked with.

The rule: Drink what you cook with, just a better bottle.

By Rate This Wine editors · Updated · How we rate

Beef stew & braises

The 3 best wines with beef stew & braises

  1. Syrah / Shiraz

    1 Syrah / Shiraz Full-bodied red

    Savory, peppery and rich: made for beef braises.

    Serve 60-65°F Shiraz from $10; Northern Rhône Syrah $30+

  2. Cabernet Sauvignon

    2 Cabernet Sauvignon Full-bodied red

    Holds up to rich gravy and root vegetables.

    Serve 60-65°F Good bottles from about $15; Napa classics $50+

  3. Nebbiolo (Barolo)

    3 Nebbiolo (Barolo) Full-bodied red

    Barolo with braised short ribs is a Piedmont classic.

    Serve 60-65°F Langhe Nebbiolo from $20; Barolo $45+

Best on a budget: Côtes du Rhône: cook with one bottle, drink the other.

Also good

Petite SirahMalbecRed Bordeaux blendPinot Noir

What to avoid

  • Light whites. Overwhelmed by the richness.

It depends how you cook it

If you’re having…Pour
Beef bourguignonRed Burgundy (Pinot Noir).
Short ribsBarolo, Syrah or Petite Sirah.
Chili con carneZinfandel or Malbec.

Frequently asked questions

What wine should I cook beef stew with?

Use a dry red you’d happily drink: Côtes du Rhône, Merlot or Cabernet. Skip anything labeled “cooking wine”, which is salted.

Tried this pairing?

Rate it

What readers poured

Tried Beef stew & braises? Tell us which bottle you opened and how it went. The first good one goes right here.

Share your pairing

We read every pairing note before it goes live. No links, please, and nothing personal about other people.

More pairings

MeatSteak Cabernet Sauvignon · Malbec · Syrah / Shiraz MeatPrime rib Red Bordeaux blend · Cabernet Sauvignon · Nebbiolo (Barolo) MeatBurgers Zinfandel · Malbec · Syrah / Shiraz MeatBBQ ribs Zinfandel · Syrah / Shiraz · Petite Sirah MeatLamb Tempranillo (Rioja) · Red Bordeaux blend · Syrah / Shiraz MeatPork Pinot Noir · Riesling · Chenin Blanc