Pairing Wine With Vodka Sauce

Vodka Sauce has loads of different recipes but the key components are tomatoes, cream and vodka. Tomatoes tend to cook slowly and mix with the vodka in the sauce, which gives a silky sauce rich in flavor.

Tomatoes can be quite acidic and can often be difficult to pair with wine. In general, light to medium bodied red wines pair nicely with tomatoes however there are a couple of white wine options to suggest for the pairing.
The wine needs to be sufficiently high in acidity, with low to medium in tannins for reds, medium body and bustling with flavors.

Wine Characteristics To Pair With Vodka Sauce

Characteristic	Detail
Sweetness	Dry
Acidity	High
Tannins	Low to Medium
Body	Medium Bodied White, Light Reds
Tasting Notes	White Wine Notes – Citrus, green fruit, cream Red Wine Notes – Red fruit, tomato, herbal

Sweetness – Dry wines should be paired with the vodka sauce, as sweet wines don’t pair well

with acidic foods.

Acidity – High level of acidity is necessary to counterbalance the acidity of tomatoes.

Tannins – Low to medium tannins are just enough to enhance the texture of the sauce.

Body – Medium bodied white wines and light red wines should be drunk with this sauce as they will be strong enough to balance the sauce.

Tasting Notes – Citrus, green fruit aroma with hints of creaminess would be great in a white wine that pairs with vodka sauce. Red fruit, tomato and herbal, leafy notes in red wines would enhance the flavors of the sauce.

Best Red Wine To Drink With Vodka Sauce

Red wines generally pair well with tomatoes and its the same case with vodka sauce. Tomatoes are full with flavor with a high acidity which when mixed with cream creates a silky texture in the sauce.
Having a red wine is going to create a nice balance of texture and we would recommend having a wine that is medium to high in acidity, low to medium in tannins, light to medium in body and brimming with red fruit and herbal aromas.

Sangiovese from Italy

Sangiovese is an Italian grape variety that is grown mostly in the region of Tuscany. It is full with red fruit aromas and what is characteristic about wines made from Sangiovese, they have lots of tomato aromas and flavors with a herbal, tomato leaf aroma.

Cabernet Franc from France

Cabernet Franc is generally a medium bodied wine with medium tannins and a higher acidity. It has expressive red fruit aromas with lots of herbal, vegetal aromas. It also has a green, leafy aroma which pairs nicely with tomatoes.

St. Laurent from Austria

This grape variety produces wines that are a bit more intense than a Pinot Noir. It has a bit of herbal aromas with a core of darker fruit, high acidity and medium tannins. It will pair nicely with the creamy vodka sauce.

Best White Wine To Drink With Vodka Sauce

Tomato sauces can be a difficult pairing for white wines since the flavor profile is a bit bolder than the one white wines have. However there are a couple of options for a good wine pairing with vodka sauce.
We will try to complement the creamy texture of the sauce with the wine and enhance the herbal aromas.

Sauvignon Blanc from France

A Bordeaux blend dominated by Sauvignon blanc will be a good pairing with the vodka sauce as it will be packed with herbal, leafy aromas. They are usually citrus fruit, gooseberry and green fruit oriented with a nice creamy texture from malolactic fermentation.

Soave Classico from Italy

Soave Classico wines are made from a grape variety called Garganega and they are produced in northwest Italy, in the region of Veneto. Slightly herbal, with green fruit and stone fruit aromas with a high acidity, it will cut through the tomato sauce and enhance the herbal aromas.

Riesling from Australia

Riesling from Clare Valley in Australia is a kind of Riesling that you want to have every day. Brimming with citrus fruit aromas and a soaring acidity, these Rieslings will stand up to any acidic dish they encounter. With age they develop a slight petrol and herbal aroma with a bit of spice which will add to the complexity of this pairing.

Best Wine To Drink With Vodka Sauce

Vodka sauce might be a difficult pairing but we believe that you will enjoy the wines that you will find on the list underneath. These wines are all chosen due to their acidity and freshness, with herbal notes that complement the tomatoes.