With prize-worthy cattle visiting the State Fair of Texas this month, the wine panel's thoughts turned to beef – not your everyday cut and grade, but prime rib-eye, the king of steaks.

For this beloved beef cut, the wine panel sought wines fit for company yet moderately priced. Prime-grade steak set us back a few dollars more per pound than the lower-grade choice and select. But splurging rewarded us with richly marbled steaks comparable to those served in fine restaurants. Seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, these rib-eyes were heavenly, grilled to a perfect medium-rare over charcoal.

We sampled 14 red wines under $25 in search of those that matched the steak in weight and intensity. The wines needed enough body and structure to stand up to the beef's richness. Our search turned up eight winners, ranging from the predictable California cabernet sauvignon, to an organic zinfandel, to a surprise hit – an Italian blend of three varietals. If you're timid around red wines, try a few of our picks with steak and you could become a convert.

Here's what we learned about pairing wine with rib-eye steak:

•Grilled steak is a simple food that welcomes either a complex wine or a straightforward, simple wine. Our panel found wines in both camps.

•Wines with vibrant fruit flavors, hints of spice and ample body worked best. You need a substantial wine to stand up to the richness of a well-marbled steak.

•Decanting these wines 40 minutes before serving enhances aromas and develops flavors; big wines especially open up with exposure to the air.

•Although winning wines showed ripe fruit flavor, several were eliminated for being overripe; these wines had gushy, dark fruit or dried fruit flavor without the acidity needed to balance them and boost structure.

Tina Danze is a Dallas freelance writer.

THE MISSION: Find wines under $25 that marry well with rib-eye steaks

THE FOOD: Charcoal-grilled USDA prime rib-eye steaks, seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; mashed potatoes; buttered green beans with garlic; sautéed mushrooms

THE TASTERS

Blythe Beck, executive chef, Hector's on Henderson; George Howald, Serendipity Wine Imports; Paul Pinnell, sommelier and restaurateur; James Tidwell, certified wine educator and sommelier at Café on the Green, Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas; Cathy Barber, Taste editor; Tina Danze, freelance writer

Photos by EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Decant to open up these reds

Decanting isn't just for separating sediment from old, cellared wines; the process also enables younger wines to breathe, which enhances aromatics and develops flavors. Ideally, decanting involves pouring the wine into a wide-based vessel (for maximum exposure to the air), 40 to 60 minutes before serving. Panelist George Howald says folks lacking the time – or a presentable vessel – can cheat by "power decanting." Here's the method: Pour wine into a pitcher, then pour it back into the bottle using a funnel – no need to wait before serving. The back-and-forth pouring aerates the wine in short order.

($21.99, Central Market, Kegs 'N Cellar in Coppell, Whole Foods Market on Greenville)

This rich, full-bodied wine has a nice core of berry fruit sparked with black pepper. Panelists found it serious and well-crafted, yet fun. "I think any shiraz fan would like this wine," Mr. Pinnell said, praising its "beautiful" fruit. "I appreciate its restrained character," Mr. Howald said. "It's not overworked or overblown like a lot of Aussie shiraz." Mr. Tidwell found it "tasty but not simple." Panelists agreed that this shiraz has the character you'd expect from a fine wine.

($20.99; Majestic Liquor, some Goody Goody locations, Jimmy's Food Store, Sam's Club, Central Market, Whole Foods Market, Centennial Fine Wines and Spirits on Preston Road, Cost Plus World Market, Shricks, United Market Street in Colleyville)

Fruity with hints of spice, this full, round blend of 70 percent corvina, 25 percent rondinella and 5 percent sangiovese was the panel favorite. "It's got a great core of delicious black plum, black cherry and blackberry fruit," Mr. Tidwell said. "It's a substantial wine that stands up to the steak." Mr. Howald said that, unlike some wines we eliminated, the fruit is "ripe without being overripe," and he praised the wine's "impressive length of finish." After tasting it with the rich rib-eye steaks, Blythe Beck remarked: "The fattier the food, the better it tastes."

($21.79, Goody Goody, Central Market, Majestic Liquor, Sigel's, Spirits Liquor)

This wine boasts juicy red fruit flavors and silky tannins that lend enough body and structure to stand up to steak. "It has a lush, plush character and an expansive palate," Mr. Pinnell said. The wine's earthy component worked especially well with the steak. "Like a lot of South African wines, this wine strikes a nice balance between Old World and New World styles," Mr. Tidwell said. "It's earthy without showing astringency; it has fruit without overripeness."

($18.99; Cost Plus World Market, Central Market, Centennial Fine Wine and Spirits on Preston Road, United Market Street in Colleyville, Whole Foods Market in Plano, Kegs 'N Cellar in Coppell)

This compelling blend of petite syrah, mourvèdre and zinfandel shows rich fruit flavors and nice structure. "It has a very regal style and taste," Mr. Pinnell said. All panelists admired the wine's layers of complexity and expansive palate. "It's complex because all the varietals lend a variety of red and black fruit flavors; it's an impressive wine," Mr. Howald said. "The mourvèdre adds a slightly earthy component," Mr. Tidwell said. "It's a nice, big red wine, with lots going on." Ms. Beck called it "a mouthful of joy."

($18.99; Mr. G's, Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Sigel's, Centennial Fine Wine and Spirits on Preston Road)

This big, fruity red pleased some, but not all, panelists. "It's got a lot of zing and zest to it," Mr. Pinnell said. "It's very bright." He praised its "gorgeous zinfandel fruit flavor." Several panelists found it slightly sweet. Ms. Beck found it a good partner for the steak; but Mr. Howald couldn't rank it among the winners. "I'm still looking for more backbone," he said. Although Mr. Tidwell liked the wine, calling it "a very typical zinfandel," he, too, found it lacking in structure, and "a bit hot on the end from the alcohol." Still, the panel felt it should be among the winners because it represents a major style of zinfandel that contrasts with the other zinfandel chosen.

($15.99 to $19.99, Sigel's, Centennial, Goody Goody, Central Market, Kroger, Majestic Liquor, Tom Thumb, United Market Street, Whole Foods Market, The Wine Market & More, Pogo's, Mr. G's, Put a Cork in it, Dallas Fine Wine)

This rich, juicy cab with a black-cherry palate proved not only a good match for steak, but also a great value. "It's beautiful and substantial, with spicy, caramel notes," James Tidwell said. "It has a little maple syrup-clove spice character." American oak added more nuances: Mr. Tidwell picked up a hint of coconut, and Paul Pinnell detected "liquid smoke." "It's a solid example of a cabernet," George Howald said. Mr. Pinnell hailed it as "the highest-quality cab for the price."

($24; Pogo's in Inwood Village, Cork in the West Village, Central Market, Da Dusty Cellar in Coppell)

This full-bodied organic zinfandel was quite different in style from the Murphy- Goode zinfandel. "It's complex and pleasurable, and not as sweet as the Murphy-Goode (Liar's Dice) zinfandel, which was too much for me," Mr. Tidwell said. Ms. Beck called it "a swanky wine," and all panelists found its earthy, complex character compelling. "It has an unmanipulated flavor profile, yet it's still pleasurable," Mr. Howald said. "It's an organic wine that fulfills expectations for a handcrafted wine."

($25; Vino 100 in Dallas' Uptown neighborhood, Beverage City in Plano, Whole Foods Market in Plano, Central Market in Plano)

This blend of mostly grenache and syrah with a little cinsault and counoise delivered pleasing, ripe fruit flavors. "It has a yummy, ripe core, right down the middle," Mr. Pinnell said. "It's one-dimensional in a good way: It's a straightforward wine with cherry cough-drop palate," said Mr. Tidwell, who pronounced it "delicious." Mr. Howald acknowledged the wine's "nice initial impression," but said "the finish seems to fade." Ms. Beck found the wine and steak pairing "a perfect combo."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture grades all commercially sold beef for quality, based on factors affecting flavor, juiciness and tenderness. Prime is the highest-quality label, followed by choice, then select. Although most supermarkets do not sell prime rib-eye, you can buy it at these markets. Prices range from $18.99 to $23.99 per pound.

•Kuby's Sausage House, 6601 Snider Plaza, University Park; 214-363-2231

•Central Market (multiple locations)