Steak and ale pie

Steak and ale pie

Assuming the pub pie of the day at its most common, chunks of beef slow cooked in ale gravy under a pastry lid, with mash or chips.

Steak and ale pie is rich, savoury and a little bitter and malty from the ale, with buttery pastry. It wants a red with enough body and tannin for slow cooked beef, and ripe, dark fruit to meet the malty gravy. Light reds and whites are lost, and very tannic reds taste harsh against the bitterness of the ale.

Pairs Perfectly. Bordeaux, France, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Blackcurrant, plum and cedar on firm but rounded tannin, the classic British red for a beef pie. It is widely available and inexpensive.

Pairs Well. Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy. Cherry, raisin and spice, richer than plain Valpolicella, with a dried fruit depth that meets the malt in the gravy.

Pairs Well. Old vine Zinfandel, Sonoma, California. Ripe bramble fruit and a peppery warmth, soft enough in tannin for a bitter, malty sauce.

Worth Seeking Out

Touriga Nacional from the Douro, Portugal. Dark fruit, violet and firm structure, a Portuguese red with the power for slow cooked beef.

Avoid

Light reds, whites and very tannic, young reds. Light wines disappear under the gravy, and hard tannin clashes with the bitter ale.

Failing That

A Rioja Reserva, Spain.

If All Else Fails

Malbec, Mendoza.

Want to be able to craft answers like this? The Vinealto Wine Coach takes you from the basics to advanced.