What wine goes with game? Our reds for venison and wild boar
423 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.
Primus - Carménère 2023
A complex and harmonious Carménère with notes of spices and very ripe fruit.
Panos Sarris - Megali Petra 2023
A magnificent expression of Mavrodaphne
Tarapacá - Gran Reserva Organic 2024
An organic blended wine with multiple aromatic facets
Dog Point - Pinot noir 2021
Concentration, silky texture, complex aromas: a high-flying Pinot Noir!
Dorrance - Cuvée Ameena 2022
A vintage worthy of the great wines of the Northern Rhône!
Fenech - Perciato 2021
A red made from Perricone, a rare grape variety from the island of Salina
Diemersfontein - Shiraz 2023
A fusion of cherries, spices and violet
Acústic Celler - Braó 2019
Complexity, richness and elegance in this magnificent Catalan vintage.
Te Mata Estate - Merlot Cabernets 2022
Aromatic complexity and voluptuousness come together in this beautiful full-bodied wine from New Zealand.
Mount Langi Ghiran - Billi Billi 2022
A beautiful Syrah from Australia, rich in spices and very drinkable!
460 Casina Bric - Ansi Langhe Rosso 2021
A superb blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera, mastered to perfection by Gianluca Viberti
Etchart - Reserve Malbec 2024
A unique vintage of Malbec from vines planted at an altitude of 1750 meters!
Wildeberg - Coterie Grenache & Syrah 2022
The alliance of Grenache's richness and Syrah's spicy finesse, offering a generous, silky, and remarkably balanced wine
Bodega Noemia - A Lisa Malbec 2021
A fresh and harmonious Malbec, the signature of the Patagonian terroir
La Rural - Rutini Colección Cabernet, Malbec 2023
A very nice Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend with flavors of black fruit spices
Thymiopoulos - Kayafas 2019
One of the Grands Crus plots of the Thymiopoulos estate
Domaine Edmond Monnot - Maranges 1er Cru Clos Roussots Rouge 2023
Black fruit, cedar and cocoa in a Maranges premier cru with a dense palate.
Valenciso - Tinto Reserva 2014
A dense, deep and complex Rioja crafted with elegance
Mount Pleasant - Philip 2018
A Syravistant cuvée with beautiful aromatic power from the Hunter Valley.
Poeira - Po de Poeira 2019
A surprising Douro red wine combining finesse and elegance.
Acústic Celler - Montsant Rouge 2022
Magnificent wine from Catalonia made with respect for its terroir based on old Carignan and Grenache vines.
Lantides - Little Ark Red 2020
A blend of 2 indigenous Greek grape varieties, with flavors of black fruits and spices
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.