AM/02 Vino5 min readBy Amami Italia
How to pair wine with Bistecca alla Fiorentina
One steak, one table, and the oldest question in Tuscany: what do we pour?
It arrives on the bone: charred at the edges, red at the heart, big enough for the whole table. Nobody orders their own. And sooner or later, someone reaches for the wine list.
The answer is an old one. The classic Bistecca alla Fiorentina wine pairing is a Tuscan red made from Sangiovese, and a good Chianti Classico is the perfect match. Everything else is a matter of mood, company and occasion.
A steak that hides nothing
In Florence, bistecca is less a recipe than a set of rules. It starts with a T-bone, cut three to four fingers thick, and fierce heat. It is seasoned with salt, good olive oil and perhaps a sprig of rosemary, then served rare, carved at the table and shared, because one usually weighs about a kilo.
With so little on the plate, the wine has nowhere to hide either.
It has to meet the char, cut the richness and leave the beef tasting more like itself.
Why Tuscany answers its own question
The steak and the wine grew up in the same hills. Sangiovese has bright acidity that cuts through the fat, and firm tannin that softens against the meat. Its savoury notes of cherry, dried herbs and earth sit easily beside the smoke of the grill.
There is a local logic, too. Chianti Classico comes from the hills between Florence and Siena, the same country where bistecca became a Tuscan ritual. Food and wine from one place tend to understand each other.
Chianti, Brunello, or something bolder
Chianti ClassicoThe Florentine’s choice, and a very good one. Bright, savoury and never showy, it lets the steak lead. Reach for a Riserva when the cut is larger.
Brunello di MontalcinoSangiovese at its most powerful. It is magnificent, and made for the nights that deserve it.
Vino Nobile di MontepulcianoSits in between: rounder, softer, generous with a crowd.
A Super TuscanIf your table leans towards big reds, Bolgheri’s blends of Cabernet and Merlot bring darker fruit and more weight.
| Your table | Pour this | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Two, an ordinary Tuesday | Chianti Classico | Bright and savoury; lets the steak lead |
| Four, a larger cut | Chianti Classico Riserva or Vino Nobile | More depth, still generous |
| A celebration | Brunello di Montalcino | Fuller and longer. Made for occasions |
| Lovers of big reds | Bolgheri, a Super Tuscan | Darker, richer fruit |
| Feeling adventurous | Barolo, or Aglianico | Piedmont’s Nebbiolo, or Campania’s smoky red |
And the tomahawk? The same rules hold, with one adjustment. A tomahawk is a bone-in ribeye: richer and more marbled than a T-bone, so it welcomes a fuller glass. Think Chianti Classico Riserva, Brunello or a Super Tuscan.
Before the steak, and after
A Tuscan evening is rarely one bottle long. It begins light, with a glass of Prosecco while the antipasti come and go, and turns to red as the steak arrives. It ends, if you are lucky, with a small glass of Vin Santo, Tuscany’s amber dessert wine, and nowhere else to be.
The principle is simple: light to full, white to red, and something sweet to close.
Three things to remember
- Let the steak choose the wine. Bistecca is Tuscan, so start in Tuscany.
- Match weight to weight. A bigger cut and a bigger table want a fuller glass.
- Trust your table. If you love it, pour it. A steak this generous makes room for most good reds.
At Amami
Bistecca Night
Every so often, we build a whole evening around this steak. Bistecca Night is a five-course dinner at Amami. It opens with a glass of Prosecco, and the bistecca, carved at the table, is its centrepiece. The next one is announced on our Events page, and those on our list hear first.
On every other night, both of our dry-aged cuts are on the dining menu: the bistecca and the tomahawk, each aged forty-five days and sold by the kilo. Amami Italia is a Tuscan restaurant at Airport Road and Mayfield Road in Brampton, near Castlemore and an easy drive from Caledon, Bolton, Vaughan and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area. Tell us how many are at the table, and we will pour the right bottle beside it.
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Asked at the table
What goes well with Bistecca alla Fiorentina?
In Florence, the sides are kept simple so the steak can lead: potatoes, greens, and white beans with good olive oil. At Amami, it comes with grilled seasonal vegetables and fingerling potatoes, and Fagioli al Pomodoro, beans in our house tomato sauce, makes a fine companion.
Can I drink white wine with bistecca?
Of course. A fuller, richer white stands up well to the char, and a glass of Prosecco is a lovely way to begin.
How many people does one bistecca serve?
At around a kilo, one steak usually serves two to four.
What wine goes with a tomahawk steak?
Choose a fuller Tuscan red. Its marbling suits a Chianti Classico Riserva, a Brunello or a Super Tuscan.
Where can I find Bistecca alla Fiorentina near Toronto?
At Amami Italia, at Airport Road and Mayfield Road in Brampton, near Castlemore. Our bistecca is dry-aged forty-five days and sold by the kilo, a short drive from Toronto, Vaughan and Caledon.
Read next: What aperitivo really means · A guide to Italian wine regions, from Tuscany to Piedmont
Sources: Visit Tuscany · Wikipedia · Wine Folly