Pairing Pasta and Wine

For me pasta, just isn't the same without a good wine. Try Italian or...

Choosing a Wine to Match Your Pasta Dish

Are you old enough to remember straw-covered Chianti bottles in inexpensive Italian restaurants? In those days Chianti, by law, had to include white Italian grapes and wasn't the wine that it is today. If you haven't tasted Chianti in a while try it, with one of the dishes recommended below. If you're making the pasta at home use your imagination for the ingredients. And don't be afraid to experiment with the wine. Here are a few suggestions for pairing pasta and wine. We also include suggestions for pairing risotto and wine, although strictly speaking risotto is a rice dish, not a pasta dish. Enjoy!

Pasta Dish	Recommended Wines
Fettucine Alfredo	Orvieto, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sancerre
Macaroni and Cheese	Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay
Pasta and Shellfish	Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Pasta Arabiata	Shiraz
Pasta Meat Sauce	Barolo, Chianti, Zinfandel
Pasta Primavera	Pinot Grigio, Viognier
Pasta Puttanesca	Bardolino, Sauvignon Blanc
Pasta Tomato Sauce (cooked)	Chianti, Zinfandel
Pasta Tomato Sauce (uncooked)	Dolcetto, Sangiovese
Pasta with Garlic and Oil	Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio
Pasta with Pesto	Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc
Risotto with Mushrooms	Bandol, Barbaresco
Risotto with Vegetables	Champagne, Verdicchio
Spaghetti Carbonara	Barolo

The following table presents wine and food pairing information, sorted by wine, rather than by pasta dish. When you click on any wine a new page pops up telling you what you need to know about that wine. This short page makes specific purchase recommendations, usually in three price ranges.

Wine	Wine Type	Recommended Pasta Dish
Bandol	Powerful French Red	Risotto with Mushrooms
Barbaresco	Powerful Italian Red	Risotto with Mushrooms
Bardolino	Light Italian Red	Pasta Puttanesca
Barolo	Powerful Italian Red	Pasta Meat Sauce
Barolo	Powerful Italian Red	Spaghetti Carbonara
Cabernet Sauvignon	Red Variety	Macaroni and Cheese
Champagne	French Sparkling	Risotto with Vegetables
Chardonnay	White Variety	Macaroni and Cheese
Chardonnay	White Variety	Pasta and Shellfish
Chianti	Italian Red	Pasta Meat Sauce
Chianti	Italian Red	Pasta Tomato Sauce (cooked)
Dolcetto	Fruity Italian Red	Pasta Tomato Sauce (uncooked)
Merlot	Red Variety	Pasta with Pesto
Orvieto	Dry Italian White	Fettucine Alfredo
Pinot Blanc	White Variety	Fettucine Alfredo
Pinot Grigio	White Variety	Pasta Primavera
Pinot Grigio	White Variety	Pasta with Garlic and Oil
Pinot Noir	Red Variety	Fettucine Alfredo
Sancerre	Classic French White	Fettucine Alfredo
Sangiovese	Red Variety	Pasta Tomato Sauce (uncooked)
Sauvignon Blanc	White Variety	Pasta and Shellfish
Sauvignon Blanc	White Variety	Pasta Puttanesca
Sauvignon Blanc	White Variety	Pasta with Pesto
Shiraz	Red Variety	Pasta Arabiata
Verdicchio	Italian White Wine	Pasta with Garlic and Oil
Verdicchio	Italian White Wine	Risotto with Vegetables
Viognier	White Variety	Pasta Primavera
Zinfandel	Red Variety	Pasta Meat Sauce
Zinfandel	Red Variety	Pasta Tomato Sauce (cooked)

For my food pairing experiences with French wine read

My French wine articles
For my food pairing experiences with German wine read
My German wine articles
For my food pairing experiences with Italian wine read
My Italian wine articles

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