What to Drink With Grilled Steak (And Why It Actually Matters)

What to Drink With Grilled Steak

Grilled steak is one of those meals that deserves a serious drink in your hand. The char, the fat, the salt — they're all doing something specific on your palate, and the right bottle amplifies all of it. Here's what we'd pour right now from our current shelf.

Les Clefs Du Caladas Châteauneuf-du-Pape — $55

This is the classic move, and it earns that status. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is built on Grenache, which brings a savory, garrigue-driven earthiness alongside dark fruit and firm but polished tannins. That combination does exactly what you want next to a ribeye or strip — the tannins cut through fat, the earthiness echoes the smoke off the grill, and the dark fruit ties it all together. It's a splurge worth making when the steak is good. And if the steak is good, it should be.

Lunaria Coste Di Moro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo — $25

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is criminally underrated for this exact situation. It's inky, grippy, and loaded with dark cherry and dried herb — plus an almost rustic, meaty quality that plays off grilled beef beautifully. The tannins are substantial but not brutal, and at $25 it's the kind of bottle you open on a Tuesday without guilt. This is what you grab when you're feeding a crowd or just want something honest and delicious without overthinking it.

Judson & Moore Rye — $60

Hear us out on this one. A great American rye whiskey alongside a grilled steak isn't a pairing people talk about enough, but it works. Rye's peppery backbone and baking spice mirror the crust on a well-seasoned steak in a way that wine sometimes can't. Judson & Moore is a Chicago-made rye with real depth — grain-forward, structured, and long on the finish. Sip it neat between bites. It's especially good if you're cooking something leaner like a sirloin or hanger where you want the whiskey to add richness the cut doesn't bring on its own.

The Short Version

You've got three tiers here: a $25 everyday crusher in the Montepulciano, a $55 showstopper in the Châteauneuf, and a wildcard whiskey option for when you want to do something different. Any of them will make your next grilled steak better. That's the whole point.