Some pairings had to be invented. This one just grew.

Lamb has been raised alongside vines in Bordeaux, Rioja and the southern Rhône for centuries, and the wines from those places taste like they were designed for it. They probably were, slowly, over generations of people eating one and drinking the other.

Follow the herbs if you want a shortcut. Rosemary and garlic point you south, towards Syrah and Grenache. Mint and redcurrant point to Bordeaux.