Wine & Dinner, You Are A Winner

If there’s anything Italians love more than pasta, it’s wine.

There are hundreds of varieties of wine in the world, all with unique flavor profiles, types of grapes used and recommended pairings. While I can’t cover everything, use this as a starting guide and consider it a recipe for an unforgettable dinner party. After all, if you have wine and dinner, you are a winner.

Cabernet Sauvignon is probably one of those most recognizable red wine varieties. Its depth and robust flavors bring out the flavors of dishes where red meat is the star of the show. The first thing that comes to mind is our short rib ravioli. Braised beef short rib, carrots, celery, onion, garlic and thyme are combined with fresh ricotta cheese to create this decadent stuffed pasta. Serve with a simple brown butter sauce and a full glass of full-bodied Cabernet and you have just reached perfection.

Maybe you're gathering the family together to have a classic Sunday dinner. Before huddling around the stove, grab a glass of your favorite Merlot. Merlot’s smooth, fruit-forward flavor profile is another stellar pairing for rich red meat, or more specifically, meat-based sauces. Pair with our fresh pasta (pappardelle is my favorite), Sunday gravy (contains pork) and Sunday gravy kit (contains meatballs and Italian sausage). This is Nonna’s not-so-secret recipe for a perfect Sunday.

Pinot Noir is known for its versatility and the way its medium-bodied profile compliments an array of flavors and textures. My favorite ingredient to pair this versatile vino with is mushrooms. A glass of Pinot with our wild mushroom and sage ravioli hits the spot. Be sure to check the back of the packaging, where you will find a recipe featuring this ravioli and marsala sauce!

On the topic of versatility, but moving over to white wine, we have Chardonnay. Ranging from light and crisp to rich and buttery, Chardonnays have plenty of pairing purposes. This is a great option to pair with light pestos, cream based sauces or using ingredients like fresh seafood. That’s where our shrimp scampi ravioli comes into the picture. Whip up a buttery, garlicky scampi sauce for the top and a big glass of Chardonnay for the side. Oof, I’m drooling.

This summer heat is a great reason for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to accompany your meal. Most notable for its crisp and herbaceous profile, pairing pasta dishes with Sauvignon Blancs help cut through the richness of tomato based sauces. I’ll most likely be making Gnocchi alla Sorrentina when I’m ready to open the bottle that's been chilling in my fridge. I’ve helped you by recommending which wine to pair it with, but if you wanna know how to make it, you’ll have to purchase a bag (or two) of our ricotta gnocchi to find out!

Rieslings are highly aromatic and often on the sweeter side of the spectrum, which makes it a great option to serve alongside spicy flavors. Even for those spice fans out there, you want a wine that will balance the heat of the dish. Of course, you can pair it with our spicy Calabrian sauce (I’ll never steer away from the opportunity to talk about my favorite Vera sauce). How about spicy pasta? Our spicy roasted garlic dried fusilli is just asking to be served with a glass of Riesling.

Of course, I can’t conclude this “recipe” for a successful dinner party without providing an actual recipe and wine pairing. Check out how to make Ragu Genovese with Rigatoni! Since a dry Chardonnay is used for the sauce, this crisp, versatile white wine is a great option. If you prefer red wine, Merlot pairs really nicely with the flavors of the pancetta and beef chuck.