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Writer's pictureJJ Bison

Pairing The Perfect Wine with Bison

The Restaurant Experience

If you’ve ever had a steak at a beautiful restaurant, you’ve most likely had a waiter who suggested a brilliant wine pairing that brings out the nodes in the dish. The goal is to enhance both the flavor of the dish, as well as the flavor of the beverage. Pairing the two tastes together brings out different tastes and makes your dining experience more enjoyable. As a restaurant or dining at home, it’s important to know that bison can also pair just as well as beef can. This guide will help you structure your dish around a beautiful beverage.


The Basics

First, let's go over the basics of wine and what you should consider before purchasing wine to pair with your bison meal.

  • White wines: White wine can be sweet or dry and has a lighter, fruiter flavor. Typically, we pair these with fish, poultry, or pork. White wine contains more sugar and lower acidity and does not contain complex phenolics which makes the flavor profile less complex.

  • Red wines: Red wines are more bitter and acidic than white wines and usually have a tart and bold flavoring. We typically see red wines offered with beef, pork, chocolate, cheeses, and of course, bison!

  • Tannins: Tannins have the ability to make a wine taste dry or bitter. Tannin is derived from the skins, stems, and seeds of the fruit, as well as the oak barrel that the wine is aged in and feels like a chalky feel on your teeth after you drink wine. It bines together the amino acid and proteins. The fewer tannins a wine contains, the sweeter and lighter it will be.

Bison versus Beef


Bison is low in fat as compared to its beefy counterpart, so we want to avoid the tannin reds as they typically cut the fat that you would taste in beef. We recommend some specific wines below, and if you’d like other variations, try the fruit-driven Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, or a Toscana blend. Practically anything that is red and contains a low tannin level will complement the bison nicely.


Some Recommended Wines

  • It can fit any budget

  • Contains low tannin and acidity

  • Has a nice silky and flowery tone with berry and cherry flavor


  • Distinctive black fruit flavor

  • Silky tannins

  • Rich body and flavor


  • Fruit flavors of pomegranate and blueberry

  • Subtle tannin for a welcome structure


Contact us today, email us at meat@jjbison.com, or call us at (443) 252 - 2099 to order your bison today!


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