An Italian Food Lover's Guide to Pasta and Wine Pairing

Nothing beats a delicious pasta dish with a glass of chilled wine. To enhance the experience, you should enjoy your pasta with a wine that complements the flavor of the sauce.

Tomato-Based Pasta Dishes

Since pasta dishes with tomato sauce are acidic, it’s best to pair them with a medium-bodied red wine. A wine that doesn’t match the acidity of the sauce will make the wine taste bland.

Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Grenache, Merlot, Sangiovese, Rosso di Montalcino

Cheese-Based Pasta Dishes

Pretty much any wine will pair well with cheese, so the pairings with pasta cheese dishes are endless. A nice light-bodied white wine like Chardonnay would bring out the creaminess of the cheese. Also, lighter red wines like Pinot Noir pair well with hard-cheeses pasta like spaghetti carbonara.

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay, Reisling, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Pinot Bianco

Seafood Pasta Dishes

We’re talking linguine with clams and spaghetti with prawns; medium-bodied white wines go well with these types of dishes. To not overpower the freshness and flavor of the seafood, you’d usually pair your dish with a crisp, dry white wine like Pinot Grigio.

Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio, Grenache Blanc, Rosé, Chardonnay Verdicchio, Muscadet, Chablis

Pesto Pasta Dishes

Light to medium-bodied white wines pairs well with most pesto dishes. The main element of these dishes is the herbs: parsley, cilantro, mint, basil. For red pesto, opt for a medium-bodied red like a Merlot or Sangiovese.

Wine Pairings: Verdicchio, Soave, Gavi, Merlot, Sangiovese, Teroldego

Vegetable Pasta Dishes

Who doesn't love a pasta primavera dish with fresh veggies? To highlight the vegetables’ freshness and enhance their flavor, choose a dry and floral white wine like Soave or Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine Pairing: Soave, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay

Credit: denicolasitaliandining