One of the great things about pasta is its versatility. Not only is it nutritious and tasty, but it goes with any wine you happen to favor. Still, you’ll want to select a wine that goes with the whole dish.

You should start simple and work your way up as you experiment with a wider variety of dishes and wines.

That means for those simple tomato-based pasta recipes, you can’t go wrong with a nice Chianti or other traditional red. For strongly flavored sauces, the Sangiovese will never clash. If you’re planning a seafood dish, you have a wide variety of whites to choose from: Chardonnay, Sauvignon or Chenin Blanc, for example.

As an intermediate, you might be whipping up a fine tuna spaghetti with tomatoes and capers. Since you’ve got both seafood and tomatoes, what to do? Di Tufo to the rescue. This ancient golden grape grown in volcanic soil has a rich bouquet that will bring out the best of both.

For a slightly more complex recipe, such as a Spaghetti alla Carbonara or a Fettuccine all’Alfredo a fine Viognier is a perfect choice. The rare white is a great complement to those egg or butter based dishes. Or, test a fine Pinot Grigio and see which you prefer. It is, after all, all about personal taste.

When you’re laboring over that fine halibut recipe you just can’t wait to try, spend a few minutes to think about the wine. While you do, consider how pleasant is a Pinot Noir. Earthy but not overpowering, the hints of clove will add the perfect spicy touch to that delicate fish dish.

At the opposite end of the scale, when you have a plain pasta with just a bit of olive oil or tossed into a salad, you can go either way. A simple dry Gewürztraminer white will avoid overpowering the dish. Or you can pick out a slightly more robust Riesling to add flavor to a relatively bland dish.

If you’re mixing up an appetizer, such as anchovies with pistachio nuts, a fine Verdicchio provides a pairing fit for a plutocrat. With its fruity overtones of apricot and tangy spice, it will complement the spicy tang of the fish and the sweet fruit will offset the salty nut.

For a robust roasted lamb dish, stuffed inside some jumbo conchiglie, you could do no better than a Tofanelli Charbono. The smoky hints of this fine varietal will pair nicely with the full flavor of the meat. For a bit more zing, go the full route and pick out a nice Petit Syrah.

Going whole hog, so to speak, and working on that lasagna Bolognese? Bring out that slightly chilled Shiraz and let it warm up a little bit. Spicy and full-bodied, it will stand up and hold its own next to a heavy dish.

But whatever you’re preparing, and whichever wine you consider, remember that in the end what counts is whether you enjoy the results. Experiment!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS