Wine with Lamb Pairing 101: 10 Best Wines & Delicious Lamb Dishes

Lamb is a delicate, rich-flavored, and versatile red meat that goes well with various wines. 

But, you should choose the wine carefully, based on the lamb cut and how you’re preparing it.

In this guide, we’ll help you find the perfect lamb wine match, understand the wine with lamb pairing basics, and take a look at 10 delicious lamb dishes and wine suggestions.

Pairing Wine with Lamb: The Basics You Should Know

As a rule of thumb, red meat is usually paired with red wine. That’s because red wine has a bolder texture, rich tannin, and high acidity levels, which can cut through the meat’s fat.

But does lamb pair well with white wine?

Yes. You can definitely pair lamb with white wine. Just make sure you get a bottle of a more complex white like Chardonnay or Gewurztraminer, so the meat’s richness doesn’t overpower the wine. 

Here are a few general tips to follow when choosing wine for your lamb dish:

• Type of lamb dish: The type of wine you choose depends on the lamb cut you’re cooking - a juicy lamb shank is a better match for a rich red, while a leaner lamb leg goes well with a lighter red or even white wine.
• Cooking method: If you’re serving a delicate lamb dish that’s rare to medium-rare, you can pair it with rich white wines or delicate Roses. On the other hand, a barbecued or roast lamb that’s medium to well done will require a more mature wine or a red with a complex flavor profile. 
• Other ingredients: The choice of wine is also determined by what herbs and spices the lamb is cooked with. 

For example, white wine like Chardonnay pairs well with a rosemary-based recipe, while Sauvignon Blanc’s grassy hints can be highlighted by herbs like basil, dill, and tarragon. 

On the other hand, reds with a strong tannic mouthfeel are the perfect match for thyme, sage, and cilantro-infused dishes.

Best Wine with Lamb Pairings (Based on the Lamb Dish)

Here are some delicious lamb and wine pairing suggestions:

1. Lamb Chops
2. Roasted Leg of Lamb
3. Rack of Lamb
4. Braised Lamb Shanks
5. Lamb Curry
6. Young Lamb
7. Lamb Stew
8. Barbecued Lamb
9. Roasted Shoulder of Lamb
10. Lamb Burgers

1. Lamb Chops

Lamb shoulder chops and chops from the loin and rib cuts are tender and flavorful. 

For best results, put the lamb chop on the grill until it’s medium-rare, so you get a crispy crust on the outside and juicy meat on the inside. You can serve the grilled lamb chop with roasted veggies or mashed potato on the side.

Pair a portion of grilled lamb chops with medium-bodied red wine styles like:

• Chianti
• New Zealand Pinot Noir
• Rhone red blends
• Argentinian Malbec
• Languedoc wine

Best wine suggestions:

• 2018 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 'Cuvee Vieilles Vignes' ($516)

• 2015 Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo ($77)

2. Roasted Leg of Lamb

This classic dish can be served medium-rare to well-done with gravy on top or rubbed with various fresh herbs and spices like oregano, lemon, black pepper, and garlic.

The roast’s rich flavors are the perfect accompaniment to bold red wine styles with rich black and red fruit flavor notes like:

• Traditional Bordeaux red blends
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Sangiovese
• Merlot
• Syrah

Best wine suggestions:

• 2017 E. Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne ($399)

• 2017 Chateau Margaux ($611)

3. Rack of Lamb

Lamb racks are usually delicate and can be grilled, roasted, or even fried on the pan. Just rub the rack with your favorite herbs beforehand and choose whether you want the rack cooked rare, medium, or well-done since that will determine your choice of wine. 

For example: 

• Rare: Some great wine pairings for a rare to medium-rare prepared lamb rack are light red Gamay, rich Semillon white, or a flavorful Rose Champagne.
• Medium: Medium dishes are a better match for Pinot Noir or oaky Chardonnay.
• Well done: A well-done lamb rack is a good choice for bold Cabernet Sauvignon, Brunello, or Bordeaux red blend.

Best wine suggestions:

• 2009 Deutz Amour de Deutz Rose Brut Millesime ($154)

• 2018 Domaine Hamelin Beauroy ($26)

4. Braised Lamb Shanks

Lamb shank is part of the lamb’s leg that has rich flavors. You can cook a lamb shank cut in tomato paste and red wine sauce to enhance the flavour of the dish. The lamb shank can become chewy if cooked too fast, so make sure you cook it on slow to medium heat, so the meat gets tender and juicy.

Pair your lamb shank dish with a strong fruity red like:

• Tempranillo
• Malbec
• Grenache
• French Rhone 

Best wine suggestions:

• 2018 Chateau Pontet-Canet ($159)

• 2018 Bodegas y Vinedos Artuke 'La Condenada' ($80)

5. Lamb Curry

You can cook lamb curry with various cuts like shoulder, shanks, or chops. The curry sauce gives this dish extra flavour, and its spiciness will determine your wine pairing. For example:

• Milder lamb curry: Pair this curry dish with light to medium reds like Pinot Noir, Malbec, and Syrah.
• Spicy lamb curry: Spicier versions of this dish can go wonderfully with an aged Riesling, a Gewürztraminer with very high acidity, or a flavorful Pinot Gris. 

Best wine suggestions:

• 2017 Hartford Family Winery Hartford Highwire Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel ($58)

• 2018 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Turmberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese ($898)

6. Young Lamb

Young lamb is a great delicacy - the meat is very tender, and every bite just melts in your mouth. 

If you’re cooking this type of lamb meat, make sure to pair it with an elegant and refined red that has a more subtle flavor profile. This way, the wine won’t overpower the mild flavors of the red meat.

You can go for:

• Aged red Burgundy
• New World Pinot Noir 

Best wine suggestions:

• 2018 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru ($326)

• 2014 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir ($69)

7. Lamb Stew

You can cook lamb stew with any lamb cut but for best results, use a lamb shoulder cut. Other ingredients that go into the stew are herbs, spices, and vegetables (of your preference).

This dish goes well with medium-bodied wines that will complement rather than overpower the stew’s rich spectrum of flavors:

• Merlot
• Rioja Crianza
• Languedoc wine

Best wine suggestions:

• 2015 Domaine du Clos des Fees Cotes du Roussillon Village La Petite Siberie ($198)

• 2013 Petrolo Galatrona Valdarno di Sopra ($92)

8. Barbecued Lamb

Grilled lamb cuts have a pleasant smoky punch to them. This makes them a great match for Syrah and Pinot Noir. 

However, if you’re preparing a flavorful rub, you might want to choose your wine style based on it:

• Spicy rub: A rub that’s on the spicier side calls for a fruity red like Barbera or Pinotage.
• Greek-style rub: Herb-based rub with olive oil, lemon, garlic, dill, and salt can pair with a light Rose or a Greek white like Assyrtiko.

Best wine suggestions:

• 2015 Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage ($81)

• 2021 Waiana Estate Indian Summer Rose ($13)

9. Roasted Shoulder of Lamb

This cut is a bit fattier with a rich gamey flavor. So, you need to choose a wine that will balance out this savory meat dish. 

Some good wine pairing options include:

• Chianti Classico
• GSM blend
• Brunello di Montalcino
• Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Best wine suggestions:

• 2016 Bodega Vivaltus 'Vivaltus' ($101)

• 2016 Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Hautes Brusquieres Cuvee Speciale ($51)

10. Lamb Burgers

If you like indulging in the occasional burger, you can grill some juicy lamb burger patties. Once you assemble your DYI artisan lamb burger, you can pop open an oak-aged, spicy red wines that will bring out the meat’s smoky undertones. 

You can go for:

• French Syrah
• Australian Shiraz
• Zinfandel

Best wine suggestions:

• 2019 Ridge Vineyards Geyserville ($46)

• 2017 Carlisle 'Carlisle Vineyard' Zinfandel ($100)

Choose A Great Wine with Lamb Pairing for Your Next Dinner Party!

Lamb can easily pair with a variety of wines. And once you know the basics, you can just choose your favorite lamb dish and pair it with a tipple of your choice.

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