What wine goes with game? Our reds for venison and wild boar
367 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.
Vite Colte - Barbaresco Riserva Spezie 2015
A Barbaresco Riserva from great vintages: spice, ripe cherry and powerful tannins.
Doña Paula - Altitude Series 1100 2019
Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah come together to create this complex and balanced cuvée
Felsina - Berardenga Chianti Classico 2022
A precise and energetic Chianti Classico from Berardenga, where the Sangiovese clearly expresses the depth and freshness of the Tuscan terroir.
Antonio Madeira - Vinha da Serra 2022
A deep, airy mountain red, where granite meets the finesse of old vines.
Ovid - Hexameter 2017
Cocoa, tobacco and black fruit, a Napa blend with a velvety texture.
Gianni Gagliardo - Barolo Lazzarito Vigna Preve 2020
Lazzarito at its peak, a Barolo dense in tannins that demands a great deal of patience.
Felton Road - Block 5 Pinot Noir 2023
A Pinot Noir from Bannockburn that is both precise and profound, which finely expresses the singularity of Block 5.
Twomey - Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2020
A high-end Pinot Noir from the famous Russian River Valley
Domaine de La Bouche du Roi - La Voie Royale Pinot Noir 2023
A Pinot Noir from the Plaine de Versailles, precise and deeply mineral. Elegant fruit meets a smoky finish.
Château La Croix Saint-Vincent - Pomerol 2021
A supple, flavourful Pomerol, with dark fruit, spice and silky tannins.
David & Nadia - Elpidios 2021
A Swartland blend that is fragrant, fresh and structured. Grenache leads the dance with finesse.
Ink Grade - Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2018
A deep, taut and mineral mountain Cabernet. Napa Valley at its most vertical.
Pio Cesare - Barolo Pio 2021
A blended Barolo, deep and nuanced. Piedmontese elegance carried by a firm tannic backbone.
Stark-Conde - Stellenbosch Syrah 2022
A Jonkershoek Syrah that is floral, spicy and deeply mineral. The elegance of Stellenbosch in a sleek style.
Ridge Vineyards - Monte Bello 2022
A great Californian mountain red, taut with freshness and minerality. A bottle built for the cellar and for fine dining.
Tapanappa - Whalebone Vineyard 2020
A great Australian red of freshness and precision. The finesse of Cabernet on the limestone of Wrattonbully.
Boekenhoutskloof - Syrah 2021
A dense, racy Swartland Syrah, carried by black fruit, spice and lovely freshness.
Catena Zapata - Nicolas 2021
A great mountain blend, precise and deep. Andean freshness in the service of a Bordeaux-style structure.
Maverick - Twins Barrel Select Shiraz 2021
A generous Barossa Shiraz, deep and silky. Toasted oak underlines its vivid black fruit.
Pio Cesare - Barbaresco Il Bricco 2020
A high-altitude Barbaresco, precise and deeply nuanced. The finesse of Nebbiolo carried by a structure built for ageing.
Viu Manent - Viu 1 Malbec 2021
A deep, energetic Chilean Malbec, born from century-old vines in Colchagua.
Ouled Thaleb - Tandem Alain Graillot 2022
A high-altitude Moroccan Syrah, sun-drenched and fresh. Morocco meets the spirit of the Rhône.
Yarra Yering - Carrodus Shiraz 2018
A Shiraz from the Yarra Valley of great finesse, combining aromatic intensity, freshness and depth of texture
Errázuriz - La Cumbre 2019
A Chilean Syrah from the Aconcagua Valley, deep and structured, combining aromatic intensity with elegance on the palate.
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.