What wine goes with game? Our reds for venison and wild boar
95 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.
Bodega Lanzaga - Tabuérniga 2022
A valley of terraces in Labastida cultivated for 1,300 years, for a vertical, pure and mineral Rioja.
Huber - Pinot Noir Alte Reben 2025
An organic Pinot Noir from the Traisental, concentrated and clean, with notes of raspberry, thyme and black tea.
The Sadie Family - Treinspoor 2024
An old bush-vine Tinta Barocca from near Malmesbury, floral, dense and built to last.
Blandy's - Vintage Verdelho 1982
A mahogany 1982 Verdelho, exuberant and concentrated, with notes of old rum, spice and cedar.
Blandy's - Colheita Verdelho 2010
A medium-dry Verdelho from the north coast, fresh and saline, with notes of apple jelly and candied fruit.
Blandy's - Verdelho 40 ans
A medium-dry Madeira with an average age of forty years, vibrant and saline, with notes of cedar and candied fruit.
Niepoort - Batuta 2023
Niepoort's great red, a blend of old Douro vines, mineral, vibrant and of rare finesse.
Benanti - Rovittello Etna Rosso Riserva 2018
A riserva from the northern slope of Etna, at 750 metres, born of century-old ungrafted vines.
Jasci - Domino Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2021
An organic riserva from Vasto, a powerful barrique-aged montepulciano, between black fruit and liquorice.
Gaja - Sorì Tildìn 2020
Gaja's sun-drenched cru, atop a hill in Barbaresco: a broad, spicy and silky Nebbiolo.
Avignonesi - Desiderio Merlot 2021
Avignonesi's iconic Super Tuscan, a dense, juicy and deeply spiced merlot from Cortona.
Giulia Negri - Barolo Marassio 2021
The topmost plot of Serradenari, at 536 metres: a high-altitude Barolo of great finesse.
Giulia Negri - Barolo Serradenari 2022
The Negri family's historic cru, at 480 metres in La Morra: a floral, saline and taut Barolo.
Giulia Negri - Barolo La Tartufaia 2022
Giulia Negri's most open Barolo, a blend of Serradenari and Brunate, fruity and spicy.
Gaia - Estate Agiorgitiko 2021
Gaia's great wine in Nemea: a high-altitude Agiorgitiko, powerful, velvety and unfiltered.
Artisans Vignerons de Naoussa - Xinomavro 2022
A classic, luminous Naoussa, between sun-dried tomato, olive and red fruit, with fine straightness.
Dominio del Águila - Peñas Aladas Gran Reserva 2019
Some thousand bottles from an old vineyard in La Aguilera, aged for 51 months: the ultimate rarity.
Dominio del Águila - Reserva 2021
The great village wine of La Aguilera: a dense, refined Ribera del Duero of fine depth.
Descendientes de J. Palacios - La Faraona 2023
Corullón's extreme grand cru: an ethereal Mencía of rare purity and precision.
Palacios Remondo - Quiñón de Valdelareina 2023
The new high-altitude quiñón of the Sierra de Yerga: a deep, broad and spicy Grenache.
Descendientes de J. Palacios - Al Chelo 2023
A 0.39-hectare plot on the schist of Corullón: an intense, fresh and chiselled Mencía.
Descendientes de J. Palacios - Las Lamas 2023
A south-facing Corullón cru on clay, yielding a silky, floral and generous Mencía.
Moric - Lutzmannsburg Alte Reben Blaufränkisch 2020
Moric's great Blaufränkisch: vines aged 50 to 110 years on the volcanic soils of Lutzmannsburg.
Moric - Moric Reserve Blaufränkisch 2020
A fresh, silky Blaufränkisch from Burgenland, nourished by limestone and iron-ore soils.
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.