I was wondering...

I don't. Steak requires acidity to cut through the fat, and flabby wines just don't cut it. They only go well with cigars (which, frankly, I hate).
 
I think it's a particularly bad pairing if the wine is also soft, like many in that style. I think steak needs a wine with very good acidity. I prefer something like a Montevertine wine or a Felsina Rancia with steak, and I'd rather have a Coudert wine with steak than a soft cab.
 
Tannic and flabby are not nearly the same thing. I've read that heavy tannic structure can be a good foil to the beef fat you encounter in steak. Personal experience hasn't run counter to this advice. On the other hand, there are other acidic qualities that can recommend a wine to steak, while making room for some fruit flavor, as well. Eating less fatty, grass-fed steak is also an option.
 
Yeah, the tannic part isn't the disqualifier, the problem for me would be lack of acidity or distracting oak flavors.
 
originally posted by Bwood:
I think it's a particularly bad pairing if the wine is also soft, like many in that style. I think steak needs a wine with very good acidity. I prefer something like a Montevertine wine or a Felsina Rancia with steak, and I'd rather have a Coudert wine with steak than a soft cab.
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You sir, are the one who convinced me years ago of the superiority of the sangiovese and steak combination.

That being said, it depends upon cut and preparation. A beef Wellington or some other such archaic preparation is, to me, an aged Claret thing.

If there is a spicy or Southwestern sort of run on a fatty grilled steak, then that screams for a structured cabernet or even syrah from CA/WA and maybe even AU (i.e. Grosset Gaia).

In general though, I usually think of cabernet as something to accompany lamb.

In the end, the wines should have structure, that's why those big, heady wines are called cocktail wines. God told my people to drink Gin in the Summer and Scotch in the Winter, so I have no use for cocktail wines.
 
Renaissance 1999 Cabernet goes with grilled porterhouse. I would not characterize it as oaky or tannic, but it has big fruit and moderate extraction.

Gramenon 2007 Ceps Centenaires La Meme, a Grenache which smells and tastes of roses, goes with leg of lamb.

Good Cabernet in my experience goes quite well with steak or lamb, but the wines mentioned in the OP are not what I think of as good cabernet. Lamb is actually a pretty easy pairing though - I can think of Pinots and even Rieslings which do quite well with it. Steak is harder but I think that Sangiovese and Cabernet (either one) are probably my go-to grapes for it.
 
Why do presumably bona fide wine writers continue to propagate such fallacies?

On a related note: I've always wondered how wine writers get away with making things up...I rarely see sources cited in wine books. Does this strike anyone as a problem?
 
originally posted by Nicolas Mestre:
originally posted by SFJoe:
I don't seem to have much Chateauneuf around the house these days.
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Why do presumably bona fide wine writers continue to propagate such fallacies?
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I know, seriously. I've even read tracts that purport that SFJoe has no chardonnay in the house, either!

Weird, this sort of slapdash reporting, hearsay, etc.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
originally posted by SFJoe:
I used to drink Chateauneuf with steak.
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Did you stop eating steak or stop drinking CdP, or both?
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More likely the latter, Ian.

Now, to the original question: tannic reds are often paired with steak because the protein in the steak binds to the tannins and renders them less astringent and the fat might help ameliorate the astringency, too. To my way of thinking, this pairing is less about complementing the flavors of the steak and more about taming a tannic young red. It's true, though, that one needs a fairly big wine to counteract the bold flavors of the steak, but any big red wine can do that. Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet all will do nicely. Since I drink my Bordeaux with lots of age, generally, I prefer it with lamb, goose or even -- in the oldest cases -- roast chicken.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Nicolas Mestre:
Why do presumably bona fide wine writers continue to propagate such fallacies?

On a related note: I've always wondered how wine writers get away with making things up...I rarely see sources cited in wine books. Does this strike anyone as a problem?
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Bloggers are the worst sinners in this respect. It's a disgrace. No sources cited anywhere. Just the odd junket acknowledgment. There's no central regulating authority to keep them in check. A sort of Federal Reserve of wine blogging is needed. I nominate Ian for the post. He's the only one that can be trusted.
 
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