Just had a flashback to a Bourdain show in Scotland when he hunts a stag with A.A. Gill (how are both of them no longer with us?) then has venison with single malt. That was a great show.
That’s not my bag, but when in rome…
I’d go with Kris’ suggestion and if you have a slightly older (20+) N. Rhone.
Cote Rotie or Cornas always hit the spot with venison for me. I think Cote Rotie pairs a little better but had pretty good success with a Venison-Cornas pairing last night. Had Benetiere with Venison tenderloin a few weeks back and that was off the charts
I always like tannic monster wines (Barolo, young Bdx, some Tempranillos) or ones with a spice character like Syrah with venison (aforementioned No. Rhone). I guess the trick here is finding one that doesn’t overwhelm the mushroom.
If you have a stand-alone venison roast / steak or a braised neck, sure… but wellington adds the puff pasty (and mushrooms) which I think is a rough pairing for a tannic monster. I’m much happier with a bordeaux/claret style here, or a rich CA cab.
Challenge for me is that I’d be less worried about a strong, distinct flavor from the venison and more about the lean nature of the meat. To that end, I see the mushrooms/pastry being the heaviest part of the flavor profile, with the venison being more of a texture and “meaty” element. Could totally be over-thinking the hell out of this, but with a freezer full of deer and elk, I’ve never tried to make wellington out of it. Maybe I should Will keep it in mind the next time I get a nice backstrap!
I would definitely go Bordeaux for this. Though, to mix it up, you could consider NE Italy if you are so inclined- Amarone, Miani Merlot, Gravner Rosso. Barolo could work well too.