Pasta
Pasta with Pesto: Chenin Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay
Those rich pesto flavours need a full bodied wine to match.
Tomato-based pasta: Primitivo, Sangiovese or Grenache
Courtesy of the tomatoes, these dishes have a high acidity level, and often tend to blended with rich, red meats. So your ideal Partner in Wine will be middle weight Red - nothing that will knock your socks off, but definitely something with enough flavour to stand up to those tomatoes (Grenache would definitely be a personal favourite for this occasion).
Cheese pasta: Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir
Cheese is an absolute dream to work with in the wine department, so you've got a lot of room to experiment here. Something with a bit of texture to it would be super delicious, so an oaky Chardonnay or Trebbiano would fit the bill well. Some lighter, floral Reds would also do a mighty fine job of off-setting an intensely cheese pasta, particularly if their are any mushrooms or root vegetables involved.
Seafood pasta: Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio, Picpoul de Pinet
Seeing as pasta is of course Italian, and most seafood based recipes come from Italy's stunning costal regions, it only makes sense to use wines from these same regions. These Whites tend to be high in acidity with a refreshing bitterness - a perfect match for the job at hand.
Meat-free Pizza: Barbera or Dolcetto
A pizza's tomato base pretty much dictates the fact that you'll need a wine with a relatively high level of acidity. Again, this is a true Italian dish, so why not pair it with an equally Italian wine? Reds such as Barbera or Dolcetto would be bang on the money.
Mushroom Risotto: Italian White or Alsace Pinot Blanc
The problem with this dish is that it has so many conflicting ingredients, but an Italian White should cover all bases as would a good White Rioja.
Those rich pesto flavours need a full bodied wine to match.
Tomato-based pasta: Primitivo, Sangiovese or Grenache
Courtesy of the tomatoes, these dishes have a high acidity level, and often tend to blended with rich, red meats. So your ideal Partner in Wine will be middle weight Red - nothing that will knock your socks off, but definitely something with enough flavour to stand up to those tomatoes (Grenache would definitely be a personal favourite for this occasion).
Cheese pasta: Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir
Cheese is an absolute dream to work with in the wine department, so you've got a lot of room to experiment here. Something with a bit of texture to it would be super delicious, so an oaky Chardonnay or Trebbiano would fit the bill well. Some lighter, floral Reds would also do a mighty fine job of off-setting an intensely cheese pasta, particularly if their are any mushrooms or root vegetables involved.
Seafood pasta: Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio, Picpoul de Pinet
Seeing as pasta is of course Italian, and most seafood based recipes come from Italy's stunning costal regions, it only makes sense to use wines from these same regions. These Whites tend to be high in acidity with a refreshing bitterness - a perfect match for the job at hand.
Meat-free Pizza: Barbera or Dolcetto
A pizza's tomato base pretty much dictates the fact that you'll need a wine with a relatively high level of acidity. Again, this is a true Italian dish, so why not pair it with an equally Italian wine? Reds such as Barbera or Dolcetto would be bang on the money.
Mushroom Risotto: Italian White or Alsace Pinot Blanc
The problem with this dish is that it has so many conflicting ingredients, but an Italian White should cover all bases as would a good White Rioja.