The Wine Variety That Can Seriously Upgrade Your Beef Stew

Few foods warm your insides when the weather turns cold like a humble beef stew. The dish can be made in several ways, all showcasing the variety of ingredients that give it personality. Wine is commonly introduced into the recipe to add a more complex flavor to the fare, but given that beef is the star, you wouldn't want to use the same type of wine you would normally pair with ham or chicken.

To find out what kind of vino amplifies the flavor of beef stew best, we reached out to Antonio Morichini, chef and owner of Michelin-recommended Via Vai in Queens, New York. His restaurant specializes in contemporary Italian cuisine and wines, so who better to ask about which wine would best complement a beef stew? His recommendation was simple and to the point: "I normally use a Sangiovese from Tuscany."

If you find yourself searching for this specific varietal in the liquor store and can't find it, other reds could work, too. White varieties are best left in a glass for the chef making the beef stew. This has to do with the role tannins play in wine. Morichini explained why reds work best, saying "Red wine has more pronounced tannins, which makes them more complex, intense, and bold, providing texture, balance, and structure, which makes it a great match with the heartiness of red meat." However, if you really want the flavor of fermented grapes to make itself more known in your dish, Morichini has another suggestion to accomplish that goal.

When wine is used as a fundamental element in a beef stew, it needs to be identifiable yet balanced with the other ingredients in the dish at the same time. Mushrooms and beef go together like peanut butter and jelly and, with this in mind, Morichini's proposal for a wine suited to beef stew boasts similar rich notes. He said, "If the wine is being used in a stew, then it becomes a central ingredient, in which case a more robust and high-quality wine is best. A Barolo is great for red meat stews, as it creates a wonderful aroma while complementing and refining the flavor of the meat."

Just like any other stew, you want your dish to be thick and hearty. If you discover that you used a heavy hand when adding your Barolo and other liquids, an easy way to thicken your beef stew is to incorporate a slurry. The floral, earthy notes of the wine will still shine through, and every bite will be characteristic of a home-cooked Italian meal.