Omaha Steaks Launches the Ultimate Wine to Pair With Steak--and a Luxurious Napa Valley Sweepstakes

Omaha Steaks, America's Original Butcher, and Laithwaites, the world's No. 1 home delivery wine service, are pleased to announce the release of their most luxurious wine yet. Selected by a panel of experts to be the best red wine to pair with steak, it is the ultimate bottle to serve with special holiday meals this season and for any occasion worth celebrating—and it's limited to 1,917 bottles in honor of the year Omaha Steaks was founded.

EXPERT PANEL HOLDS "BLIND" TASTING TO SELECT THE BEST WINE TO PAIR WITH STEAK

The Omaha Steaks 1917 Private Reserve® Cabernet Sauvignon was selected through a rigorous tasting. On a freezing (-30°F) afternoon in January 2024, Todd Simon (Omaha Steaks fifth-generation family owner and Chief Steak Evangelist), Nate Rempe (Omaha Steaks CEO and President), Tony Laithwaite (founder of Laithwaites Wine) and members of their teams gathered in Omaha, Nebraska to taste a range of rare wines from around the world.

The objective: To find the best wine to pair with steak. The wines were exclusively selected by wine experts around the world. To remove any element of bias, each wine was tasted "blind" – meaning that no facts about the wine (including the label, bottle shape, grape variety, or geographic region) were revealed. Each member had to rate the wines independently. Hardly anyone spoke, in an effort not to influence other panel members.

The winning wine was determined not by how good it tasted on its own, but rather by how well it enhanced the flavor of the steak. Fittingly, Omaha Steaks Private Reserve® steaks were served alongside the wines after being expertly prepared by Omaha Steaks' corporate chef. As the results were tallied, there was a clear tension in the room as panelists realized the heavy burden put upon them (to select the best wine in the world to pair with steak). Had this ever been done before?

The scores were on the doors. Wines that didn't make the cut included exceedingly rare releases from Italy, France, and Australia. In the end, there was one clear winner: a spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley's legendary Oakville district.

A COLLECTOR'S ITEM FOR STEAK & WINE LOVERS

Renowned winemaker Bill Knuttel meticulously crafted this Cabernet Sauvignon from hand-harvested fruit grown in two elite, sustainably farmed vineyards in Oakville, the famous AVA (American Viticultural Area) in Napa Valley. He then aged the wine for 25 months in fine French oak barrels. In the glass, you can look forward to sumptuous flavors of blackberry, ripe blueberry, black cherry, and hints of cocoa, with a wave of velvety tannins. While delicious now, it will also age beautifully and is perfect for your favorite cut of Private Reserve® steak.

As you would expect, a wine this good is made in very small batches. In fact, only 1,917 bottles exist, and each is individually numbered. The wine will retail for $149.99 per bottle on OmahaSteaksWine.com and is sure to sell out quickly…especially as each purchase will gain the customer entry into something very special. You can also try the Ultimate Private Reserve® Steak & Wine Experience at home—a package available for $499.99 that can be found by visiting OmahaSteaks.com/wine.

THE ULTIMATE STEAK WINE + A LUXURIOUS SWEEPSTAKES

To celebrate the launch of the 1917 Private Reserve® Cabernet Sauvignon, Omaha Steaks Wine is offering the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Napa Valley for one lucky person and their guest. The package includes roundtrip airfare, three nights hotel accommodation, and a luxurious wine experience, plus ground transportation to and from the event.

Enter the Sweepstakes now through January 15 by going to OmahaSteaksWine.com/win and:

• Purchasing 1 or more bottle of the 1917 Private Reserve® Cabernet (1 entry)
• Signing up to receive emails from Omaha Steaks Wine (1 entry)
• Signing up to receive text messages from Omaha Steaks Wine (1 entry)
• Mail us a letter (1 entry)

Commenting on the news, Todd Simon said, "When we launched the Private Reserve® line of meats nearly 30 years ago, we were inspired by the winemaker practice of releasing "Reserve" wines from the very best vineyards, grapes and vintages. These cuts are the best of the best. Luxurious and indulgent. I am so thrilled to have found a wine that can perfectly complement the intensity and complexity of these cuts and provide customers with a truly unique culinary experience. I am also pleased that the winning wine happens to come from the United States, and from such a distinguished winemaker like Bill Knuttel."

Tony Laithwaite remarked, "So often, people judge a wine by how impressive it tastes on its own. That's all well and good, but to me, wine and food are meant to be enjoyed together. What makes this Private Reserve® Cabernet so good is that it actually makes your steak taste better—and the meat enhances the flavors in the wine, too. It's a match made in food and wine heaven, and I couldn't be more excited for customers to try it with their favorite cuts."