Pasta

 The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Wine with Pasta Dishes

Italians have never been known to separate wine and pasta; food and better half are almost inseparable, so are pasta and wine. When these two are employed in a proper manner, is results in an excellent kind of meal which helps to enrich the flavor of the meal and wine. However, even such simple concept as wine and pasta pairing may seem quite daunting at first, all the more so because there are virtually hundreds of permutations of pasta/sauce and wine types. So do not panic, this last guide will include the general characteristics and other important information needed so you are ready to tip your next meal into the extraordinary one.

The Basics of Wine and Pasta Pairing

It is important, however, to make a brief distinction before exploring possible wine and food pairings. These principles will form the basis of making the right decisions so that appropriate choices can be made.

1. Match the Weight of the Wine with the Dish

One of the key things this guide uses to pair wine with pasta is the weight of the wine, and the weight of the pasta type. Olives oil or butter based sauces pasta are best matched with light wines, while rich, creamy or with lots of meat based sauce pasta should be best matched with full-bodied wine.

2. Acidity is Your Friend

It is important to use acidic wines when slammed with pasta food products especially the ones that are made from tomatoes. Unfortunately, tomato sauces are very acidic and if the chosen wine is not acidic, the wine will prove tasteless when eaten together with the sauce. But a wine with bright acidity will cut through the sauce and will be perfect for your palate.

3. Consider the Sauce

Any specific type of wine when matched with pasta, what really matters is the sauce that is accompanying the pasta. This could be tomato based, cream based or pesto – whichever it is, the intensity of the sauce will have the final say on the right wine to be served.

4. Tannins and Richness

Wine tannins are those compounds that confer on wine body or substance and astringent qualities. It origin is from grape skins, seeds and stems and are generally common in red wines. Tannic wines are also ideal when served with dense rich pasta dishes though they can be quite discordant with other milder preparations. Moderation is the word, so it is also important to think about the abundance of the dish in consideration of tannins.

Wine and Pasta Pairing by Sauce Type

Having learnt the basic principles let’s now look at suitable combinations of pasta with particular sauce.

1. Tomato-Based Sauces

Tomato based sauces are the most fundamental of ingredients for most traditional pasta dishes of Italy. The tomatoes used in the sauce prepare the tongue for a wine with higher acidic level than the sauce. These are a few wines that may go well with pasta dishes based on tomatoes:

This Tuscany wine is composed almost entirely of Sangiovese, a variety of grape cultivated only on that soil.It has a high tannin content, moderate alcohol content and red fruit, herbs and first notes on the earthy profile. These characteristics make it an ideal accompaniment to tomato based pasta dishes such as spag helm Maranara, penne Arrabbiata or even pizza.

Barbera

Barbera is an Italian red wine with a high acid content and low tannin count and that’s why it pairs nicely with tomato based sauces. There are three variants available in the market – cherry, blackberry and plum, which have mild earthy taste at the backend. Barbera is great with pasta – spaghetti puttanesca or penne all’arrabbiata, for instance.

slightly deeper in colour than, for instance, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel is suitable for dishes containing ripe fruit seasoned with moderate amounts of acidic tomato sauces, such as lasagna or spaghetti Bolognese. Due to the spiciness and an emphasis on fruits, it can be well used in pasta dishes with meatballs or sausages.

2. Cream-Based Sauces

Thick cream sauces such as those found in Alfredo or carbonara would require wine that clears the thick creaminess of that sauce. These sauces are generally not as acidic as many tomato based sauces so wines with less acidity are possible.

oaked full-bodied Chardonnay will complement creamy pasta dishes as it would any rich full-flavored dish. A wine with oaky, vanilla characteristics is favored with Chardonnage as it provides the Alfredo sauce with its rich creamy undertaste while at the same time has a sharp taste that helps v overcome the richness. It complements flavors perfectly for meals that use fettuccine Alfredo or pasta carbonara in their making.

Sauvignon Blanc

If you demand from a white wine with a high tannin level, therefore more acidic, then Sauvignon Blanc will do all that and even more.

Pinot Grigio

This type of white wine, has characteristics of citrus and minerals and goes well with creamy pasta combined with vegetables or pasta that have light protein such as chicken or shrimp. This is excellent to serve with foods such as creamy mushroom pasta – definitely my favorite – or spinach and ricotta ravioli in a creamy sauce.

3. Oil-Based and Pesto Sauces

Fresh tomato-based or pesto sauces or even olive oils are used in pasta dishes, and they’re usually less creamy than their American counterparts, for example. For these you need a wine that will not overpower the herbs but rather coordinance with the dish which is well balanced.

Vermentino

Vermentino is a light, refreshing Italian white wine with citrus undertones of lemon, green pear, green apple when young but turns to almond bitter taste when older. It goes well with pesto based meals such as linguine al pesto or spaghetti aglio e olio due to the balance the wine setup gives the herbs and nuts aspect of pesto.

Noir

Although Pinot Noir most commonly it is a companion for meat or dense meals, it works great with lighter blackened meals such as, grilled salmon or roasted vegetables because it complements rather than dominates.

1. Understand the Pasta Sauce: Determine which of the four types the sauce of your pasta is: tomato, cream, oil, and pesto-based. It will form the basis for selecting the appropriate wine to be taken with the meal.

2. Select Complementary Wines: To match your pasta dish with wines, follow the guidelines discussed above to balance or complement the taste you get. So when selecting a wine, you need to bear in mind factors such as the level of acidity, wine weight and tannins.

3. Experiment and Enjoy: It is here that the traditional complementary wine and cheese pairings sound good but do not be afraid to try a variety of wines to reach a satisfactory end product.

4. Create a Perfect Setting: Delight your guests to the selected pasta and wines in a comfortably lit dining environment. Put things such as candles or music in the background to complement the appearance of the dining table.

Conclusion:

Wine and pasta, two of the most important meal components, can be wonderfully combined in the art of harmonizing the two classes of food products. Once you consider sauce type and key principles which includes weight, acidity or tannins you achieve a well balanced dish to convert a simple meal, into something extraordinary.

If it’s a traditional tomato-based spaghetti, a creamy Alfredo or a linguine alle pesto, there is a wine out there to match your pasta. Welcome and celebrate the best of Italy traditions, let your taste buds guide you and let it marvel at the harmony produced by pasta and wine. Cheers!