Few things are as close to perfection as the right Italian wine and food pairing. While this classic duo is great for the perfect date, the best Italian food and wine pairing can make any evening special, regardless of who you’re with — or even if you choose to dine solo.
To make sure every customer can experience the joy of a great pairing, Allora Restaurant offers tips to help you select the best wines for your favorite Italian meals.
Wine That Goes With Salad
If you’re a fan of a nice crispy salad starter before digging into your meal, know that there are several Italian salad and wine pairings that will leave your taste buds buzzing! Sauvignon blanc pairs beautifully with arugula, a fresh tomato salad, simple cheeses, and tuna or sardines.
Best Wine to Have With Meat, Game and Poultry
If you choose an Authentic Italian meal featuring steak, pork or chicken, you’ll have many options when it comes to delicious wine pairings. Generally, red wines pair well with meat. However, different types of meat seem to have a particular affinity with wines made from specific grapes. For example:
- Game and most poultry dishes pair best with whites and dry rosé: The sauce and herbal flavorings of most poultry dishes play a considerable role in determining the ideal wine pairing. Red, white and rosé wines can all pair well with poultry depending on the sauce.
- Lamb goes well with reds: Both cabernet sauvignon and Rioja reds pair excellently with lamb dishes.
- Dishes with pork and chicken taste good with both red and white wines: Pinot noir and Rhône wines make some of the best wine pairings for pork and chicken. Chicken also pairs well with sauvignon blanc, pinot noir or chardonnay. Pork Tenderloin is best mixed with Super Tuscan, Chianti, zinfandel and pinot noir.
- Steak and red wine always mix: While the seasoning used will determine the best wine to have with your steak, you generally can’t go wrong with pairing steak and a nice red wine. Examples include Spanish Rioja, a Washington state merlot, red Bordeaux, a California or Australian cabernet sauvignon, or an Argentine malbec.
Pasta and Pizza Wine Pairings
Let’s talk pasta. Pasta is one of the main staples of authentic Italian cuisine — and for a good reason. Because pasta pairs beautifully with savory tomato-based sauces, the popular Italian food leaves many opportunities for excellent wine pairings. Tangy, hearty red sauces pair best with rich red wines. Aromatic wines such as merlots and zinfandels do well to complement the sauces’ tartness.
Other excellent wine pairings for red sauces include sangiovese and Italian Chianti.
The best wines for pizza take into consideration cheese and sauce varieties — two signature ingredients of any Italian pizza. In general, pizza usually pairs best with red wines such as Barbera d’Asti or Barbera d’Alba, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, DOCG, Chianti DOCG and lambrusco of Emilia-Romagna. However, sparkling wine, Champagne and fuller-bodied white wines can also be delicious with the right pizza.
Dessert and Wine Pairings
And now, onto dessert. Some of our favorite Italian dessert and wine pairings include:
- Bread pudding and a luscious Malaga, sauvignon blanc or a late harvest riesling
- Cheesecake and a Moscato d’Asti or an ‘extra dry’ Prosecco
- Chocolate torte with a quality Crémant style sparkling wine or a lively Prosecco
- Italian gelato and an Italian Prosecco, Asti or Crémant style sparkling wine
- Ricotta citrus cake and a bubbly Italian moscato wine
Join Us Today at Allora Restaurant for the Best Italian Food in Atlanta
Allora is the best restaurant in Atlanta for authentic Italian cuisine in a modern atmosphere. Feel free to browse our wine list on our restaurant’s menu, to see what Italian food and wine pairings we have to offer!
Enjoy a delicious Italian meal of homemade pasta and delectable wines for your next evening out. Reserve a table today!