HERE are some wine and spaghetti pairings that will leave everyone happy enough to sing Puccini around the dinner table.
Spaghetti Bolognese
(Spaghetti and Meatballs)
Wine pairing: Chianti
Why it works: There is absolutely no reason to get too complicated when it comes to spaghetti and meatballs. It’s a quintessential Italian dish, so go with the date you brought to the prom with a quintessential Italian wine.
Come on – it’s a classic. Everyone with a grandmother who’s even a quarter Italian has their nonna’s meatball recipe available at all times. These same people will fight you if you even suggest that it isn’t the single greatest meatball recipe in creation and for all eternity.
This rich, dark red complements the herbs and tomato sauce beautifully, while those heavier tannins are going to scrape your tongue clean of greasy beef with every sip.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Wine pairing: Soave
Why it works: In addition to a nice bit of acidity that slices its way through fat, Soave’s got an unexpected bit of salinity to it, as well.
Loaded with eggs and bacon, Primavera Carbonara should probably have a “do not operate heavy equipment after consuming” warning label anywhere it’s served. It’s rich and incredibly filling: so the wine that goes with it is going to need to cut right through that.
This pairs perfectly with a dish that sports some serious sodium. It’s light and graceful: the opposite of how you’ll feel after you finish a bowl of Primavera Carbonara. Plus, it’s generally pretty inexpensive!
Spaghetti all’Arrabbiata
(Spicy Spaghetti)
Wine pairing: Primitivo
Why it works: A lighter-bodied red with a cinnamon-like sweetness which should compliment the spice in this classic pasta.
For when you prefer your spaghetti with a little spice! Arrabbiata sauce is known for the heat of its chili peppers. And like a lot of spicy foods, this can mean a pleasant tingling sensation, or a 5-alarm emergency. You need the right wine to appreciate those flavors.
Primitivo (aka Zinfandel) is a multi talented wine: especially when it comes to spicier foods. It’s fruity-spiced flavours help bring out all the complexity in chili pepper.
