Pairing Wine With Pasta

Wine is to pasta as meatballs are to spaghetti; classic combinations that never get old. There are few things as comforting as a big bowl of pasta and the perfect wine is sure to bring that experience to a new level. The old adage, “It goes with what it grows with,” certainly applies here so you can’t miss with an Italian wine, but don’t be afraid to venture outside the region. The key is pairing the wine with the sauce, and to that end, we have some recommendations for you.

Best Red Wine To Pair With Pasta

Reds pair well with almost any tomato-based sauces or dishes heavy in mushrooms or beans. Almost any red will work so it really comes down to personal preference and whether you want something light and fruity or bold and spicy.

• Pinot Noir; always a popular choice; light on body, high on aromatics.
• Merlot; Medium-bodied with moderately sweet flavor.
• Cabernet Sauvignon; full bodied and full of tannins.
• Zinfandel; sweet red with moderate tannins and high acidity.

Best White Wine To Pair With Pasta

Whether it’s a creamy alfredo, a vibrant pesto, a light olive oil-based sauce or a spicy arrabbiata, white wine should be your go-to. Look for a light to medium-bodied white with strong acidity to complement your pasta dish.

• Riesling; It’s light, sweet, crisp and highly acidic. It’s also highly versatile.
• Chardonnay; dry and buttery with moderate tannins and acidity.
• Sauvignon Blanc; highly acidic, fruity, dry white with herb tones.
• Albariño; Dry with high acidity and notes of lemon and grapefruit.

Pairing Wine With Different Pasta Sauces

Pairing Wine With Alfredo

This rich, creamy sauce needs a fruity dry white, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. If you prefer reds, try a Barbera or Beaujolais.

Pairing Wine With Marinara

Reds will be your best bet with this classic sauce. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese all make for excellent pairings.

Pairing Wine With Vodka

Vodka sauce is essentially a tomato-based sauce with cream. A fruity red, like Grenache or Dolcetto will pair well. The high acidity of Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc also help cut through the richness of the cream in this sauce.

Pairing Wine With Pesto

Here you’re going to want a wine that will play well with the basil, the primary ingredient in pesto. The grassy Sauvignon Blanc or herbaceous Grüner Veltliner will complement a pesto dish nicely.

Pairing Wine With Carbonara

A bold, complex carbonara dish is going to call for a bold wine with moderate acidity. Gewürztraminer, Rosé, Carignan, or Montepulciano will all pair well without competing for attention with this sauce.

Pairing Wine With Arrabbiata

Arrabbiata is a spicy, tomato-based sauce. Crisp whites such as Pinot Grigio and Albariño match well. If you’re going with red, a fruity Lambrusco or Bobal will do the trick.

Pairing Wine With Puttanesca

This bold, complex sauce needs a wine that can hold its own. A medium-intensity wine like Barbera or Sangiovese will balance and elevate your meal.

Pairing Wine With Aglio e Olio

Pasta (usually spaghetti) with garlic and oil. A fruity white, like Sauvignon Blanc or rustic red such as a Primitivo or Zinfandel pair nicely with this staple.

Pairing Wine With Cacio E Pepe

Cacio E Pepe translates to cheese and pepper. This simple yet comforting dish doesn’t need a bold wine. A Chianti, Riesling or Pinot Noir will all complement any dish with this tasty sauce.

Pairing Wine With Sun Dried Tomato & Capers Pasta Sauce

We recently had a fan ask us our thoughts on what to pair with their pasta sauce that had sun dried tomatoes and capers. If the base is olive oil with sun dried tomatoes and caper simply being added to it, then we suggest a Sancerre. If the sauce was cooked down into an actual red sauce with a base of sun dried tomatoes, then we suggest an Aglianico or any other highly acidic wine like a sauvignon blanc or southern french viognier. Pairing Wine With Italian Food