Pairing Wine With Ravioli

Ravioli is a classic Italian dish, composed of pasta parcels stuffed with cheese and any variety of fillings, though meat and spinach are among the most common. They are almost always accompanied by a pasta sauce, which will be either creamy, like alfredo, or tomato-based, like marinara. This opens up the door to both white and red wines, so really, it comes down to you, and which type of ravioli and wine you prefer.

Wine Characteristics To Pair With Ravioli

Characteristic	Detail
Sweetness	Dry
Acidity	Acidic
Tannins	Medium
Body	Medium to Bold
Tasting Notes	Red with rich flavors, dark and red berries, or crisp whites. Strong herbal and fruity flavors.

As with a lot of Italian dishes, you will typically be looking for high-acid wines, medium to full-bodied reds and bold whites. Wines with a rich fruity character and good acid will match the flavors of Italy, whichever style of pasta sauce is used. Pairing Italian wines with Italian food is also recommended, for a completely authentic dining experience.

Best Red Wine To Drink With Ravioli

With ravioli in tomato, like a marinara or tomato basil sauce, keep an eye out for tart, medium-plus-bodied reds. If the ravioli is stuffed with meat, you can also consider moving up to full-bodied options, so the wine isn’t overpowered by the dense ravioli.

Chianti

It’s not uncommon that a ravioli ragu will be made with a splash of Chianti, so it’s a brilliant pairing for the pasta dish. It matches the acidity in tomatoes, and also has the potential to cut through creamy sauces. It will go particularly well with a meaty ravioli, but is also fantastic with raviolis that are just cheese, both flavorwise and for cleansing a fat-soaked palate, Chianti also has notes of some classic Italian ingredients, like tomato leaf and balsamic vinegar, which will harmonize with any tomato and basil present in a red sauce.

Montepulciano

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is your fun, cheerful option in the medium-bodied wine range. It is the perfect pairing for rich, hearty foods, with some fat. Its high acidity and medium body allow it to pair with a wide variety of dishes, and ravioli is no exception – you can pair it with pretty much any type of ravioli, from the creamy and cheesy end of the scale, to the denser meat-packed red sauce dishes.

Nero D’Avola

If you know your ravioli is going to be packed with rich, gamey meat, you can also consider something fuller-bodied to stand up the ravioli’s density. Nero D’Avola is a great choice for that, it is highly robust and fruity, and contains some hints of chili pepper, which will mingle beautifully with a tomato-based sauce. Try pairing this bold wine with a Sicilian ravioli recipe, for a complete Sicilian dining experience.

Primitivo/Zinfandel

For another full-bodied option, to pair with thick, meaty ravioli, you can also consider a Primitivo, otherwise known as Zinfandel. Old World and New World options are both great, but if you want a fully authentic experience, stick to the Italian Primitivo. This wine is big, bold and full of fruit and fresh acidity. It’s going to cut through the carbohydrates and slight sweetness of the ravioli itself, and match perfectly with the savory meat inside. It is also known for having a leathery note, which is ideal for pairing with gamey meats.

Best White Wine To Drink With Ravioli

White wines are better suited for creamy sauces, and ravioli stuffed with cheese and light meats, or spinach. Ravioli can have a wonderfully smooth taste, so oaked whites are a good option here, as well as some fruity, acidic Italian whites that pack a bit of a punch when paired with creamy sauces.

Chardonnay

While pasta is often seen as having a neutral flavor, when tasted on its own, it has a slightly sweet flavor. When combined with creamy sauces and cheese, this can be exaggerated slightly. Oaked Chardonnay is a great choice for a cheesy or a vegetarian ravioli dish because it has a distinctly buttery quality that will match the smooth and filling pasta parcels brilliantly. On top of that, it is high in acid, so it’s ideal for cleansing the palate during a creamy dish, and can cut through soft cheeses, like ricotta, which is commonly found inside ravioli. It also works well with mushroom and seafood ravioli.

Trebbiano

Trebbiano is a versatile choice. It is acidic and aromatic, excellent for slicing through a variety of flavorsome raviolis. This is the traditional grape used for making balsamic vinegar and some brandies, so it is as sharp as a knife, and a good option for red sauces too. Just watch out for the ravioli filling, because if it’s too dense, it may overpower the wine. It will match wonderfully with any cheesy, vegetarian, seafood, or even lighter meat fillings, thanks to its tart, intensely fruity profile.

Pinot Grigio

This is the catch-all white wine for Italian food, it is difficult to go wrong with a Pinot Grigio. Not only is it a crowd-pleaser for dinner parties, but it is also sharp and acidic enough to cut through any amount of fat in a rich, creamy ravioli dish. Pinot Grigio’s flavors are versatile too, and with its relatively neutral palate of apple, citrus and pear, it can be paired with any number of ravioli fillings, providing they aren’t too gamey.

Pairing Wine With Ravioli Prepared Different Ways

Ravioli can come in a variety of sauces, but the most important thing to keep in mind is the contents of the ravioli itself. This will be the focal point of the dish, often containing the most protein, and will define which sauce accompanies the pasta. Here are the best wines for each type of ravioli filling.

Ravioli With Cheese

Almost every ravioli dish is going to have cheese, and it’s easier to name wines that don’t match with cheese than all of the wines that do. However, to keep it Italian, we recommend something that is medium-bodied and tart, like Trebbiano or Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Chardonnay is also a great option.

Ravioli With Ham

Cheese and ham is quite a popular filling, and pork is one of the meat options that leaves the door open for white wines. Again, we would recommend Trebbiano, or a Garganega wine. If it’s served in a tomato sauce, maybe you want to lean towards a red, like Montepulciano, just to match the flavor profile.

Ravioli With Beef

Beef is a popular filling, and limits the possible pairings to meatier reds. Beef is also more of a natural pairing with tomato sauce, such as a ragu with Chianti. So of course, Chianti, or Rosso di Montalcino are great choices for harmonizing with beef and tomato sauce. You can even try out a fuller bodied red wine with beef, such as a Primitivo or Nero D’Avola.

Ravioli With Game

If your ravioli is more upscale, it might even be packed with something gamey and dense, such as veal. This is where full-bodied reds like Primitivo, Nero D’Avola or Syrah take the stage, containing enough body, savory notes and meatiness to match the earthy flavors of game. If you are in the mood, you can even pair a rich ravioli like this with the king of Italian wine, Barolo.

Ravioli With Seafood

Seafood fillings are also pretty common, and are a natural pairing for a creamy sauce. To match this level of smoothness, look towards a Chardonnay, or a Pinot Grigio with some saline notes. The butteriness of an oaked Chardonnay will pair a creamy dish perfectly, and both wines are acidic enough to cut through the fat and enhance the delicious seafood filling.

Ravioli With Vegetables

Spinach and ricotta is a very popular vegetarian ravioli option, as is ravioli filled with pumpkin or squash. These are going to be smooth and buttery dishes, so Chardonnay is still a great choice, as is Trebbiano or a Garganega wine, like Soave.

Ravioli With Mushrooms

Ravioli with mushrooms is another vegetarian option that crops up from time to time. Don;t be surprised to hear us recommend Pinot Noir, it works superbly with any earthy dishes. You can also keep an eye out for acidic, yet earthy white wines, like Sauvignon Blanc.

Best Wine To Drink With Ravioli

The wine you choose completely depends on your ravioli filling and personal choice, but there are a few characteristics to look out for. Medium-bodied, sharp wines are going to work very well. These are your best and most versatile options: