Buon Appetito! A Guide To The Perfect Pasta And Wine Pairings

You never forget the good old days when life was simpler and problem-free whenever you ate pasta – the ultimate comfort food.

Eating pasta will also conjure memories of the wonderful dinners you enjoyed with your family and friends. Whether you had a part in preparing those meals or not, the mental images will bring a smile to your face.

Your favourite pasta dish warms you physically and emotionally. When you’re feeling down in the winter or any season, a bowl or plate of lasagne, carbonara, or spaghetti and meatballs is the perfect food that will re-energise and cheer you up.

And for a great pick-me-up meal, you’ll want to buy fine wine online in Abu Dhabi to pair with your choice of pasta for dinner.

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Winning Wine and Pasta Pairings

If you want to enjoy the perfect comfort food dinner, follow this guide for pairing wines with your favourite pasta dishes:

 

1. Red or tomato-based pasta

Tomato-based sauces are acidic and tart and tend to be rich when red meat is added.

Because of the high acidic content of tomatoes, a bottle of medium-bodied red wine is the perfect accompaniment for red pasta dishes.

If you choose a wine that doesn’t complement the acidity of the sauce, your drink will simply taste bland.

When you add richness in the form of meat or cream to the sauce, you can opt for full-body wines.

Examples of good red sauce pasta dishes and wine pairings are:

• Spaghetti Bolognese or with meatballs or sausages with pinot noir and Sicilian and Puglian reds.
• Spaghetti marinara with Chianti.
• Lasagne with Merlot.

 

2. Cream sauce pasta

Cream-based pasta dishes are not exactly Italian, but they are still the perfect comfort food if you are craving something hearty and creamy.

Pasta with creamy sauces such as alfredo and carbonara pair well with light-bodied white wines, including Chardonnay and Chardonnay blends, such as Albana, Cortese, Erbaluce, and Garganega.

If you’re indulging in a cream-based pasta dish with vegetables, herbs, and meat, a crisp wine like Pinot Grigio will complete your meal. It can cut through the cream and cleanse your palette in between bites.

If you want to pair your cream sauce pasta with a red, go for an Italian variety, such as Falanghina, Nebbiolo, Nero d’Avola, and Vermentino.

 

3. Cheese-based pasta

Nearly all types of wine pair well with cheese, which means your choices are unlimited for pairing cheese-based pasta dishes with reds or whites.

In general, Chardonnay and other light-bodied white wines bring out the creaminess of the cheese, making them the perfect accompaniment for any cheese-based pasta dish.

For specific cheese-based pasta dishes, you can use this helpful guide:

• Oak-aged Italian Trebbiano and Chardonnay can highlight the creaminess of the cheese. They pair well with four-cheese pasta dishes or anything with ricotta.
• Grenache and other light red floral wines complement intense, tart, hard-cheese pasta dishes with mushrooms and root vegetables.
• Riesling goes well with creamy, cheesy pasta dishes, such as macaroni and cheese and cacio e pepe.

 

4. Seafood pasta

Many seafood pasta dishes are a bit complicated and time-consuming to make. However, you will be well-rewarded since you’ll have a delicious meal to savour after all your efforts.

You can follow the basics for seafood and wine pairing with this type of pasta dish. But if you want a more specific guide, consider the following:

• Spaghetti with shrimps or prawns and linguine with clams go well with medium-bodied white wines, such as Pinot Gris and Chenin Blanc.
• Spaghetti and linguine with or topped with mussels, crab, or lobster are best complemented with a crisp, dry white wine such as Frascati, Muscadet Verdicchio, Picpoul de Pinet, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
• Pasta with crab or lobster sauces pairs perfectly with full-bodied white wines, such as Chardonnay, Muscat, Soave, and Viognier.

 

5. Oil-based pasta

Olive oil-based sauces can be used on nearly all types of pasta, including noodles, shells, and tubes.

Pesto is one of the most popular olive oil-based pasta sauces. Its other main ingredients include different herbs, such as basil, parsley, and cilantro.

These herbs give the pesto its green colour.

Light to medium-bodied whites enhance the herby and earthy flavour of pesto so limit your options to these types of wine.

If you’re partial to red pesto or pesto rosso, a Sicilian pesto made with olive oil, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, a medium-bodied red wine such as a Merlot or Sangiovese is your best option.

Aglio e             olio, or pasta in garlic oil, is another popular and easy to make pasta sauce.

Olive oil is usually its main or base ingredient for aglio e olio. However, you can also use other neutral-tasting oils.

Other ingredients for this pasta sauce include parsley, red pepper flakes, and other herbs and spices and herbs.

Pasta dishes with this flavourful oil-based sauce go well with white wines, including Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Just like choosing the right scents for winter, picking the best wine to pair with your pasta dish is a must to enjoy an amazing meal.

By using this guide, you’ll always know which wine to buy to complement your pasta and complete your meal.

 

 

 

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