Wines To Match Sauces: The Ultimate Guide For Pasta Lovers

Finding the ideal wines to match sauces can transform your pasta dishes into a gourmet experience. Instead of focusing on the pasta shape, it’s crucial to consider the sauce. Here’s a guide to the best wines to match sauces for various types of pasta.

Creamy Pasta Sauces

For creamy sauces like carbonara or fettuccine Alfredo, opt for wines such as Soave, Bianco di Custoza, Pinot Bianco, or Sicilian whites. Light Chardonnay or Chardonnay blends are also great choices. When your pasta features baby vegetables or herbs, try crisp Italian whites like Falanghina, Vermentino, or Arneis. Loire Sauvignon Blanc is another excellent option.

Seafood Pasta Sauces

Seafood sauces, including spaghetti alle vongole, spaghetti with mussels, or linguine with crab, are best paired with crisp dry whites like Frascati, Verdicchio, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Muscadet, or Picpoul de Pinet. Dry rosé also complements seafood dishes nicely. For richer sauces like crab or lobster, fuller white wines such as a good quality Soave or Chardonnay work well.

Red Or Tomato-Based Pasta Sauces

Tomato-based sauces, like fresh tomato with basil, go well with crisp dry whites such as Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio. For cooked tomato sauces like Napoletana or Marinara, consider Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or a light Sicilian red. Meat sauces, such as Bolognese or spaghetti with meatballs, pair perfectly with robust reds like Primitivo, Sangiovese, Rosso di Montalcino, and Barbera. Zinfandel is also a great match.

Pesto And Cheese-Based Sauces

For green pesto, dry whites like Gavi, Soave, or Verdicchio are ideal. Sicilian whites and lighter Chardonnays are also excellent choices. Red pesto pairs wonderfully with medium-bodied reds such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Sangiovese, or Merlot. Cheese-based sauces like four cheese or Gorgonzola are best enjoyed with crisp dry whites like Verdicchio, light Chardonnays, or light reds such as Teroldego or Merlot.

Spicy Pasta Sauces

Spicy sauces, such as arrabbiata, aglio olio e peperoncino, and puttanesca, pair best with sharply flavored dry whites or rustic Italian reds like Primitivo, Sicilian red, Zinfandel, or Valpolicella Ripasso. For cacio e pepe, a light red like frappato is an excellent choice.

Pasta Sauces With Pulses

Tuscan reds, such as Chianti, are perfect for pasta dishes with beans or lentils (Pasta e Fagioli). An earthy, neutral white like Orvieto or Vernaccia di San Gimignano also works well.

Discovering the right wines to match sauces can elevate your dining experience, bringing out the best flavors in both the pasta and the wine. Experiment with these pairings and find your new favorites!

Pick up your favorite sauce by Simply Nonno’s Sauces and start pairing your wines and sauces today!

Wines To Match Sauces: The Ultimate Guide For Pasta Lovers