What loves what.

Meat

Steak (ribeye, strip, bistecca)

Fat, char, and protein want tannin and a little warmth. This is Cabernet country, but not only.

• Cabernet Sauvignon

  Tannin binds the protein; cassis stands up to char.

• Malbec or Syrah

  Dark fruit and smoke for grilled crust.

• Chianti Classico / Brunello

  Sangiovese's acid cuts fat; the Italian steakhouse move.

Skip: Frail Pinot and most unoaked whites — they vanish.

Seafood

Grilled tuna or swordfish

Steak of the sea. A cool light red is often better than a timid white.

• Rosé from Provence or Navarra

  Dry, herbal, cold — the grill wine.

• Frappato or light Pinot

  Red fruit without tannic clash.

• Vermentino

  If you stay white: bitter almond and citrus.