For Italians, the love of food and wines is unmatched. Italy boasts of being the most prolific producer of wines and birthing some of the best wine regions in the world. It is home to refreshing, bold, powerful, fruitful and delicate wines that can be enjoyed with various types of meals. Throughout history, Italian wines are viewed as a way to enhance one’s dining experience by highlighting different flavours.

There is endless Italian cuisine that goes hand in hand with different wines. Italian food is more than just pasta and pizza. The chefs focus primarily on ingredients and meticulous techniques to ensure they have a breathtaking experience as one enjoys the meal. These foods are bold and satisfying without being too heavy on the tummy. It’s rich and full of different flavours. Below are some of the best food-wine combinations that one can enjoy anytime;

person holding stainless steel knife slicing food
  • Lasagna 

Lasagna is one food that everybody loves. It may be very time consuming, however, the effort is worth it. The process of making lasagna is relatively easy; you just need some parmesan cheese, minced sauce, vegetable and bolognese sauce. Beef lasagna tends to make the dish a bit richer, calling for juicy, full-bodied ripe red wines such as Masseto wine. For vegetable lasagna, It makes sense to choose a wine pairing for vegetable lasagna that suits the vegetables that are in it.

  • Pasta carbonara

The name carbonara stems from “Carbone” which means coal and it’s one fantastic meal formally popular among coal miners. The recipe is very simple and all you need is pancetta, egg yolks, heavy cream, garlic, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Pasta carbonara goes well with a pinot grigio or a rose wine.

  • Pizza

Modern pizza is believed to have evolved from Italy and the recipe has spread worldwide to all corners of the world. Margarita is a favourite amongst Italians and is made from tomato, basil, and mozzarella. The flavours of this pizza are fairly subtle and would prefer red over white wines.

  • Bruschetta

Bruschettas are the go-to starter dish for many all over the world. It’s an authentic Italian dish and all the ingredients required are grilled bread, vegetables, garlic and tomatoes. The features of ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is insanely delicious and would pair well with Tuscan white wine.

  • Caprese salad with pesto sauce

Nothing beats this dish, especially during the summer. The salad is a simple yet delicious starter for your food. To get the true meaning of this delicious salad, you need a combination of fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. On top of that, add a fresh pesto sauce to make the taste and flavour of your meal more pronounced. Crisp, light and dry white wines or even roses are a perfect match for this starter.

  • Italian Risottos

Risottos are another popular dish among Italians and loved all over the world. This meal is made from a bowl of special Italian rice. Risottos are easy to create, nutritious and exceedingly tasty. The best wines to pair with risottos are dry wines such as a good chardonnay or a pinot grigio.