The Absolute Best Wine To Pair With London Broil Steak

Wine-loving foodies know that no proper meal is complete without the right vino pairing. It's no secret that red wine is a classic accouterment to red meat, but not all reds are created equal. Today's tip comes from Gillian Ballance, Treasury Wine Estates master sommelier. "I recommend pairing a London Broil with a full-bodied Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon," shares Ballance in an exclusive interview with Tasting Table. "You will find that the complexity and structure of the wine balance the richness of the London Boil."

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Technically, London broil isn't a cut of meat, it's a method of cooking. Although, the London broil technique has become intrinsically linked to any tough, thick steak from a lean muscle, especially flank steak or top round. To break down that tough tissue, London broil is typically marinated, then cooked over high heat (you can even whip up a tender London broil in your crock pot, for the record). The result is a robust beefy taste, tender chew, and ultra-savory flavor.

Enter: Cabernet sauvignon. This dry, full-bodied, medium-acidity red features firm tannic structure and tasting notes of dark fruit, red berries, cassis, and tobacco. Oak-aged cabs lean smokier and vanilla-forward. Winemakers around the world produce it, making it a widely available (and fairly affordable) single-origin bottle. Cab grapes also perform as the base for many multi-origin red blends thanks to their robust boldness — and indeed, robust boldness and palate dimensionality are necessary to stand up beside a rich, meaty London broil without getting lost.

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Get your London broil on with cabernet sauvignon

Any appropriate complement to this savory superstar would need to be plenty strong on its own and, fortunately, cab certainly is. In fact, cabernet sauvignon tends to perform better alongside food than without it, as its character can be a tad intense for casual sipping. We love it with bresaola and aged goat's milk cheese on our charcuterie boards. A full-bodied cab even pairs well with a pot of chili.

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Despite its big flavor, London broil doesn't break the bank because this naturally tough cut requires a little extra cooking time to become tender (hello, extra room in the wine budget!). As Ballance advises, "You can pair this more affordable meat with an affordable high-quality wine." Happily, there are plenty of impressive budget-friendly cabs on the market that can take your London broil dinner to the next level on a dime.

To best showcase your beefy London broil, look for a single-origin cabernet sauvignon from Bordeaux. The region's cool, oceanic microclimate yields wine with high minerality terroir, boasting top notes of flint, cedar, and graphite. This coolness will lend a sharp, refreshing contrast to that rich, heavy steak. For optimal expression, serve your cabernet sauvignon at room temperature (60-68 degrees Fahrenheit), and serve your London broil with a side of creamy garlic mashed red potatoes and roasted asparagus to complete the meal.

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