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Despite the appeal of modern low-carb diets, Americans’ love affair with pasta is still going strong. Pasta’s versatility in creating so many mouthwatering dishes means it’s a staple on dining tables across the country.
Whether indulging in a simple bowl of Spaghetti Carbonara or sharing a Bucatini all’Amatriciana with loved ones, pairing the right wine with pasta creates an all-around delicious dining experience.
You don’t have to be an expert when matching wine with pasta. But we’re happy to give you some pointers to help you impress your dinner guests, so all you need to do is pour and enjoy.
Inspired to try wines from pasta’s native Italy? Browse our delicious bottles of Italian wines.
So, how do you pair the best wine with pasta?
Choosing the Best Wine with Pasta—The Basics
Pasta comes in various shapes, sizes and flavors, from lusciously layered Lasagna to decadent creamy Fettuccine or the classic Spaghetti with Meatballs. There are endless pasta dishes, rich with tomato, cheese and spicy sauces, accompanied by various veggies, meats and seafood. Your options are limitless, so you have lots of choices for finding the best wine with pasta.
Although Italian wine is delicious when paired with its culinary cousin, wines from all over the world are just as suited to pasta dishes. To keep things simple and intensify your dining experience, choose a wine that complements the sauce’s flavor and balances the texture and taste of the meats and vegetables in the dish.
There’s a simple rule to follow when deciding whether red or white is the best wine with pasta. If your pasta dish has a hearty tomato-based sauce, red wine will pair best, and if it’s a creamy white sauce pasta dish, opt for a bottle of white wine.
When thinking about the best wine with pasta, consider the wine’s body, sweetness, acidity and tannins, as high tannic wine can clash with some flavors, and wines with low acidity can dampen the taste of certain pasta dishes.
If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry—we’ll break down six much-loved pasta dishes and suggest some great wines to pair them with.
Seafood Pasta/Spaghetti Vongole
Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio
Light-bodied white wines like Pinot Grigio are a terrific match with seafood pasta dishes.
With Italy situated on the Mediterranean coast, many delicious pasta dishes include seafood delights like shrimp, prawns, anchovies, mussels, and clams. Likewise, white grapes grown in Italy’s coastal regions, with their high minerality and acidic qualities, are the perfect partners for refreshing saline cuisines like Seafood Pasta and Spaghetti Vongole.
Lasagna
Wine Pairings: Chianti, Shiraz
Tomato-rich pasta dishes are brimming in acidity, partnering best with medium- to high-acidity red wines. A low-acidic wine can compromise the flavor and produce a bland taste.
Lasagna combines meaty tomato sauce and white-based sauce, meaning many wines will pair well with this hearty Italian favorite. Try a Chianti or a Shiraz to match with pasta (with red sauce) as they have naturally high acidity. They’re also packed with fruity flavors that complement the decadent sauces, rich meat creamy cheese and pasta sheets. The bright cherry and strawberry notes contrast beautifully against the dense flavors of Lasagna dishes, while their firm acidity cleanses your palate, making each bite as satisfying as the first.
Puttanesca
Wine Pairings: Riesling, Barbera, Zinfandel
When it comes to spicy food, choosing your wine carefully is best, as wines with high tannins can clash with spicy dishes.
Puttanesca is a classic Italian dish with spicy undertones alongside tomatoes, oil, olives, garlic and anchovies. Opting for a crisp and dry white like Riesling can cool the palate from the spice, or if you’re craving a red, opt for light and fruity wines with low to medium tannins, like Barbera and Zinfandel.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Wine Pairings: Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
Wine and cheese are a perfect match, so many wines pair with this cheesy pasta dish.
It’s a great dish with which to explore your wine options. An excellent place to start with this buttery-based cheese dish is light-bodied white wines, like Pinot Blanc, which will bring out the delectable creaminess of the cheese. The buttery flavors from the chicken and creamy, rich sauces will sing when paired with a crisp, refreshing glass of this dry white wine.
If you’re forgoing meat, what better way to bring out the freshness of vegetables than pairing them with Sauvignon Blanc? The dry white wine will intensify the dish’s nourishing flavors. However, if your pasta dish is loaded with mushrooms, consider a full-bodied oaked Sauvignon to pull out all the rich, earthy tastes.
Spaghetti with Meatballs
Wine Pairings: Chianti, Merlot, Malbec
Red wines that are high in acidity and tannins, like Chianti, Merlot and Malbec, make tantalizing pairings for this tasty Italian-American favorite. The tannins help to cut through the red meat, while the rich tomato sauce will harmonize with the intensity of the red wine, resulting in a satisfying experience. Choosing red wines that are medium- to full-bodied is a good bet when serving meat-focused pasta dishes. In fact, the richer the meat, the fuller-bodied wine you should choose.
Why not treat yourself to a bottle of Collezione di Paolo Chianti from Italy to complement your next plate of Spaghetti with Meatballs? With its spicy red-cherry flavor, it will be a great match to the meatiness and tomato flavors of this tasty dish.
Carbonara
Wine Pairings: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc
Carbonara may appear straightforward, but it’s a more complex dish than first meets the eye. Despite its savory characteristics, the egg yolk contains a sweet tendency, so the best wine to pair with this pasta is one that offers a crispness that complements the sweetness. Highly structured white wines like Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc are delicious choices as they contain intense aromatics, so you can enjoy all the dish’s flavors.
Other Food & Wine Pairing Articles You May Be Interested in
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen, Senior Personal Wine Advisor
After 30+ years working in Michelin-starred restaurants with famous chefs in Manhattan, I found that I really do love wine—so for the last 10 years, I’ve worked here, and every day is an adventure!
WSET – Level 2 Wines & Spirits Certified
Certified Restaurant Sommelier for 20+ years, achieving two James Beard awards
