What wine goes with game? Our reds for venison and wild boar
395 wines to serve with gameWith game, serve a red with character and mellow tannins: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon, ideally with a few years of bottle age. The forest floor and leather aromas of a mature wine answer the wild meat.
Game birds, more delicate, prefer a Pinot Noir or a Barbaresco. Ground game in a civet calls for a Barolo, an Amarone from Veneto or a Brunello di Montalcino. Italy takes a large place in our selection, alongside Spain, South Africa and the United States.
Planeta - Burdese 2018
A great Sicilian red with character, where Bordeaux elegance meets Mediterranean generosity.
Tenuta San Guido - Guidalberto 2023
A refined Tuscan red, where the freshness of Bolgheri meets fruity, spicy depth.
Portal del Priorat - Negre de Negres 2021
A generous, deep Priorat, between black fruit, spice and slate minerality.
San Polino - Brunello 2018
A precise, deep Brunello, driven by fruit, spice and mineral freshness.
Clos Mogador - Manyetes 2021
A deep, mineral Priorat from the hillsides, intensely revealing the purity of Carignan on schist.
Pegaso - Pizarra 2021
A deep, mineral high-altitude Garnacha. Slate gives it a fine, persistent palate.
Vinya del Vuit - Vinya del Vuit 2016
A deep, mineral Priorat, shaped by the slate slopes of Gratallops.
Tenuta San Guido - Le Difese 2023
A refined, delicious Tuscan wine, where Sangiovese meets the elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Portal del Priorat - Trossos Vells 2020
An intense, mineral Priorat, driven by the depth of old vines.
Francesco Brigatti - Ghemme Oltre il Bosco 2020
A great Nebbiolo from Ghemme, profound and distinctive, where alpine freshness meets an elegant structure and remarkable aromatic complexity.
Monteraponi - Chianti 2022
A high-altitude Chianti Classico, straight and vibrant. The finesse of Sangiovese carried by a mineral structure.
Heitz Cellar - Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
A Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon combining fruit purity, freshness, and depth, built for aging.
Dominio de Pingus - Flor de Pingus 2022
A great Ribera del Duero Tempranillo, combining depth, precision, and elegance in a silky texture.
Quinta da Carolina - Xisto Amarelo 2021
An intense, mineral Douro red, between ripe black fruit and schist relief.
Giuseppe Quintarelli - Amarone della Valpo Tre Terre 2013
An Amarone of great depth, combining power, aromatic complexity, and elegant texture.
Gaja - Ca'Marcanda 2020
A great Tuscan red from the coast, combining depth, elegance and aromatic precision.
Clos Mogador - Espectacle De Montsant 2022
A powerful Grenache from the Catalonian hillsides, at once robust, refined, and intensely expressive of the Montsant terroir.
Giuseppe Quintarelli - Rosso Ca del Merlo 2017
A big Valpolicella red, ample and deep, where aromatic finesse meets a velvety and persistent palate.
Heitz Cellar - Martha's Vineyard 2018
An iconic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, combining menthol freshness, fruit depth, and elegant texture.
Giuseppe Quintarelli - Amarone della Valpo Classico 2018
An Amarone della Valpolicella Classica of remarkable depth, combining richness, aromatic complexity, and balance on the palate.
Christophe Abbet - Syrah 2020
A deep and spicy Valais Syrah, combining mountain freshness with a velvety texture.
Giuseppe Quintarelli - Alzero Cabernet 2015
A great Venetian red in the Amarone style, remarkably deep and built for long cellaring.
Bond - St Eden 2021
A single-vineyard Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, marrying depth, precision and the sculpted elegance of the St. Eden terroir.
Vega Sicilia - Único 2014
A Ribera del Duero of great depth, combining aromatic complexity, silky texture, and remarkable aging potential.
Which wine for which game and preparation?
Game birds call for finesse, ground game for power. The sauce then refines the choice.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Wild boar civet civet, wild boar daube | Barolo, Amarone, Valpolicella Ripasso | A blood-thickened sauce calls for a powerful, deep wine with mellow tannins. |
| Venison with grand veneur sauce medallions, fillet or haunch of venison | Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Brunello di Montalcino | The poivrade sauce and red berries go well with the dark fruit and spice of the wine. |
| Roast pheasant pheasant, partridge, wild guinea fowl | Pinot Noir, Barbaresco | The delicate meat of game birds loves finesse and forest floor aromas. |
| Pigeon and quail pink squab, quail with grapes | Pinot Noir, Langhe Nebbiolo, Cornalin from Valais | Pink, flavourful meat calls for an elegant red with lively acidity. |
| Hare à la royale hare, jugged hare | Amarone, appassimento, mature Barolo | A rich, intense dish calls for the most concentrated of reds, with notes of dried fruit. |
| Roast venison roast, venison steak | Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinotage | Lean, pink meat appreciates a supple wine with fine tannins and fresh fruit. |
| Game terrine venison pâté, pheasant terrine | Chianti Riserva, Ruchè, Rosso di Montalcino | Served cold, the terrine goes well with a fresh, spicy, easy-drinking red. |
The more the game is hung or marinated for a long time, the more the wine benefits from age.
Italy, land of hunting and great reds
For game, our favourites come from Italy. Piedmont's Nebbiolo, in a Barolo or a Barbaresco, blends cherry, faded rose, truffle and leather: an obvious match for a wild boar civet or roast venison. With a few years of ageing, like the Barolo Bricco delle Viole from 460 Casina Bric, its tannins become silky and wrap around the meat.
In Veneto, Corvina and Rondinella give Amarone, made from dried grapes. The one from Zeni, rich in dried fruit and spice, is an ideal match for hare à la royale. For a simpler meal, a Valpolicella Ripasso offers the same character with more lightness. And in Tuscany, the Sangiovese of Tricerchi's Brunello brings welcome freshness against the richest sauces.
Three pairings to try
Wild boar civet and Barolo. The depth of Nebbiolo answers the sauce made with wine and blood.
Pheasant with cabbage and Barbaresco. A more ethereal Nebbiolo for delicate meat.
Venison terrine and Ruchè. The floral, peppery notes of this Piedmontese red refresh the starter.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and game
What wine goes with wild boar civet?
With a wild boar civet, serve a powerful, mature red: Barolo, Amarone or a Cabernet Sauvignon with a few years of age. The sauce, thickened with blood and wine, calls for depth and mellow tannins. A Valpolicella Ripasso offers a more accessible version of this pairing.
What red wine goes with venison?
With venison, choose a spicy red with dark fruit, such as a Syrah, a Brunello di Montalcino or a Cabernet Sauvignon. Grand veneur sauce, with its berries and pepper, finds a natural echo in these wines. For more ideas, see our guide what wine goes with game.
What wine goes with pheasant or partridge?
For a pheasant or a partridge, serve a fine, elegant red: Pinot Noir from Burgundy or elsewhere, Barbaresco, or Langhe Nebbiolo. Game birds have delicate meat that prefers finesse to power. An oaked Chardonnay also works for pheasant in a cream sauce.
Can you serve white wine with game?
Yes, a white wine can go with some game birds, especially in a creamy or mushroom sauce. In that case choose a rich, oaked white, such as a barrel-aged Chardonnay or a wine with a broad texture. For ground game and red wine sauces, red remains the best choice.
Should you decant wine for game?
Yes, decant a young, powerful red one to two hours before a game dish: its tannins soften and its aromas open up. For a mature wine, simply decant it just before serving, to preserve its delicate forest floor notes. For more serving tips, see our food and wine pairing page.
At what temperature should wine be served with game?
Serve powerful reds for game between 16 and 18 °C, and finer reds, intended for game birds, at around 15 °C. A controlled temperature keeps the wine fresh and precise against rich sauces. Open the bottle in advance to give it time to breathe.