Wines that pair with

Italian

Aggregated across 175 related dishes — most-paired wines first.

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Sangiovese

Classic 127 dishes

Red · Medium · Dry

The soul of Tuscany — bright red cherry, dried herbs, and a savory line of acidity that craves tomato sauce. Chianti is the everyday face; Brunello is its serious cousin.

Works with Italian Dip · Italian Ham · Italian Food +124 more

Pinot Grigio

Classic 125 dishes

White · Light · Dry

Italy's everyday white — light, lemony, neutral by design. Pleasant with anything; profound with very little. The best Friuli bottles are quietly excellent.

Works with Italian Dip · Italian Ham · Italian Food +122 more

Chianti

124 dishes

Red · Medium · Dry

Tuscany's everyday red, made from Sangiovese — cherry, leather, and a brisk acidity that makes tomato-based dishes sing. The Classico designation marks the historic heartland and a step up in quality.

Works with Italian · Italian Dip · Italian Ham +121 more

Prosecco

Classic 120 dishes

Sparkling · Light · Off-dry

Veneto's everyday sparkler — Glera grape, charmat method, frothier and fruitier than Champagne. Pear, white flowers, easy fun. Made for aperitivo.

Works with Italian Dip · Italian Ham · Italian Food +117 more

Vermentino

Interesting 71 dishes

Liguria, Tuscany, and Sardinia's seaside white — citrus, salt, herb, and a clean mineral finish. The Mediterranean's answer to Sauvignon Blanc.

Works with Italian Dip · Italian Food · Italian Fish +68 more

Pinot Noir

Classic 16 dishes

Red · Light · Dry

Burgundy's most temperamental grape, but the rewards are real — translucent ruby with a perfumed lift of red cherry, forest floor, and clove. Silken tannins and bright acid make it the most versatile red on the table; serve cool, around 58°F.

Works with Italian Tuna · Chicken Italian · Italian Wedding Soup +13 more

Cabernet Sauvignon

Classic 15 dishes

Red · Full · Dry

The benchmark for full-bodied red — structured, age-worthy, unapologetic. Black currant, graphite, and tobacco lead into firm tannins that demand protein on the plate. Decant young bottles; cellar the serious ones.

Works with Italian Ham · Italian Steak · Bbq Italian Sausage +12 more

White · Light · Dry

Citrus, cut grass, and a wire of acid. Marlborough makes it loudest; Sancerre makes it most refined. Either way, it cuts cleanly through goat cheese, herbs, and anything with shellfish.

Works with Italian Bread · Salad Italian · Shrimp Italiano +9 more

Merlot

Classic 6 dishes

Red · Medium · Dry

Cabernet's softer sibling — plum, black cherry, and a whisper of chocolate, framed by rounder tannins and earlier drinkability. The wine that built Pomerol and the one to reach for when Cabernet feels like overkill.

Works with Italian Sausage · Italian Pot Roast · Italian Spaghetti +3 more

Chardonnay

Adventurous 5 dishes

White · Medium · Dry

The most-planted white grape and the most chameleon-like. Crisp and steely from Chablis; rich, oaky, and tropical from California. Read the label, then match the style to the dish.

Works with Italian Sausage · Italian Sweet Sausage · Italian Tomato And Rice Soup +2 more

Showing the 12 most-paired wines out of 113. Try a more specific term (e.g. "ribeye" instead of "steak") to tighten the list.

Specific preparations

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Top 30 of 175 matched dishes. Refine your search for a tighter list.