Classic red wines to pair with lamb
Here are six key grape varieties behind some of the most popular red wine styles to pair with lamb:
- Pinot Noir
- Tempranillo
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Syrah / Shiraz
- Grenache
- Sangiovese
Cabernet Sauvignon-driven red wines are commonly considered a classic match with roast lamb served medium or ‘well done’, bringing a sumptuous balance of cassis fruit, tannic structure and acidity to the table.
There’s also something alluring about a comforting lamb stew on a cold, wintry evening with a bottle of hearty red. Alternatively, young lamb served pink might take you into Pinot Noir territory.
Choosing a wine to drink with lamb
Food and wine pairing can divide the room, of course. This is a highly subjective pursuit, and even wines from well-known grape varieties and regions will vary in character according to winemakers’ decisions.
Caveats aside, it’s useful to consider the intensity and make-up of the dish.
‘Lamb has quite a delicate texture, but is also quite rich and fatty,’ said master sommelier Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS, head of wine for Europe at members’ club 67 Pall Mall.
‘As such, pairing with a wine which has nice acid structure is important. Depending on the cut of lamb, and thus how full in flavour it is, I would go for a wine which is light to medium in body.’
Wine with slow-cooked lamb shoulder
Larsen-Robert said some Pinot Noir wines at the riper end of the fruit spectrum pair well with the richness of slow-cooked lamb shoulder.
‘With a slow-cooked roast lamb shoulder, I would go for something with lots of acidity to cut through the rich sauce, but also with lots of fruit sweetness. This could be a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, for example.’
Speaking to Decanter in 2024, Larsen-Robert added: ‘I really like Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir, from a young vintage such as 2018 – great sweetness and fruit concentration, [and] great acidity to cut through the juicy texture and richness of the lamb.’
Decanter experts have also previously recommended Grenache blends, such as those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with a slow-roast shoulder of older lamb. If you have them in the cellar, wines with a few years of bottle age may sing alongside the meat’s gamey character.
Herbaceous notes of ‘garrigue’ on some Syrah / Shiraz or Grenache wines, from southern France to South Australia and California, may add extra depth to a dish with lots of Mediterrean herbs, like thyme, rosemary and sage, too.
Wine with a rack of lamb and lamb chops
‘A rack of lamb is a more muscley, firmer cut, but it also has a fuller flavour because it is close to the bone,’ said Larsen-Robert.
‘Thus, I would pair with something fuller in structure and flavour, such as a Pauillac [from Bordeaux’s Left Bank].’
Individual lamb chops can offer a rich, fatty cut that is also full in flavour by virtue of being close to the bone, Larsen-Robert said.
‘I would go for a juicy wine with strong tannic structure, but that also possesses good fruit purity and freshness, such as Barolo or Barbaresco.’
‘You could also choose a more traditional style of Brunello [di Montalcino] without too much oak or extraction.’ Examples include ‘a Sesti from 2015 – a vintage showing good evolution now but which also has nice fruit concentration’.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2021 found that fatty molecules known as lipids, found in various foods including meat and cheese, interact with tannins to reduce the sensation of astringency on the palate.
Rioja with lamb: perfect harmony
Rioja is often lauded as a great match for lamb. This Spanish wine region is known for grilled lamb cooked over an open fire made from vine cuttings.
‘It’s extraordinarily good – the meat is young and tender and harmonises perfectly with the local Tempranillo-based wines,’ wrote food and wine expert Fiona Beckett in this Decanter article on pairing Rioja with food.
Tempranillo is also a driving force behind the great red wines of Ribera del Duero, where it’s also known as Tinto Fino.
‘Lechazo asado (suckling lamb roasted in a clay dish in a wood-fired oven) pairs well with hearty crianzas and reservas from Ribera del Duero,’ wrote Noah Chichester in his food and wine lover’s guide to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.
Vega Sicilia and Pingus are two Spanish wine icons here, but there are plenty of other producers to watch.
Cabernet Sauvignon with roast lamb served medium to well-done
Roast lamb served medium to well-done will be richer in flavour and not quite as tender. Cabernet Sauvignon is often considered a strong choice, with many wines delivering bright fruit, tannic structure and a backbone of acidity.
In Bordeaux, Frédéric Braud, chef at Château d’Issan in Bordeaux’s Margaux appellation, previously recommended the estate’s 2010-vintage grand vin with a slow-cooked roast leg of lamb.
Some ‘second wines’ from the top-rated 2016 vintage at Médoc grand cru classé estates have entered their drinking windows, while the Cru Bourgeois classification can be a source of great-value options.
Good Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends are found across the globe. Regions to look for include:
- Hawke’s Bay – New Zealand
- California – USA
- Coonawarra & Margaret River – Australia
- Stellenbosch – South Africa
- Argentina and Chile – South America
Syrah / Shiraz wines are also good options for roast lamb. Some wines will offer a touch of pepper spice in the glass that can also work beautifully with the texture of the meat.
Decanter recently revisited the highly regarded 2015 vintage in the Northern Rhône, a Syrah heartland. Not only does the vintage deserve the hype, but many wines are ‘opening up and drinking well already,’ wrote Rhône correspondent Matt Walls.
This Syrah-Grenache-Carignan blend from Languedoc-Roussillon offers a ‘big savoury mouthful of ripe fig, damson and sweet spice’, writes Decanter’s David Williams. ‘Perfect to go with that rich winter stew or leg of lamb.’
There are plenty of other potential pairings across the wine world, and discovering new styles is all part of the fun.
In 2024, Decanter magazine editor Amy Wislocki enjoyed this Greek red wine made with Agiorgitiko and a little Shiraz, for example. ‘The suggested pairing of roast lamb would work a treat,’ she wrote.
Rosé wines with lamb
Some fuller-bodied rosé wines can work well with lamb dishes, depending on the ingredients accompanying the meat.
Food and wine expert Fiona Beckett explored this concept with chef Michel Roux Jr’s recipe for spiced lamb shoulder, recently featured in Decanter’s perfect pairing series.
Gastronomic rosé Champagnes are also an option for the table. ‘Pink Champagne is versatile when it comes to food pairing,’ wrote Natalie Earl, Decanter’s regional editor for France. ‘Richer styles can stand up to bigger flavours and richer foods.’
Best wine with lamb: inspiration from our experts
The following wines cover a range of price-points and have been tasted by Decanter’s experts.
