Pesto Cream Sauce

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 Pesto Cream Sauce · Chicken Pesto With Cream Sauce · Cheese Ravioli With Pesto Cream Sauce

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 Chicken Pesto With Cream Sauce · Cheese Ravioli With Pesto Cream Sauce · Pasta With Creamy Pesto Sauce And Shrimp

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 Pasta With Pesto Cream Sauce · Pasta With Creamy Pesto Sauce And Shrimp

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 Pasta With Pesto Cream Sauce · Pasta With Creamy Pesto Sauce And Shrimp

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 Pesto Cream Sauce · Chicken Pesto With Cream Sauce

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 Pasta With Pesto Cream Sauce · Pasta With Creamy Pesto Sauce And Shrimp

Rosé · Light · Dry

Provence's gift to summer — dry, pale, faintly strawberry-and-citrus, with low alcohol and crisp acid. Made to drink cold, with food, in the shade.

Works with Pesto Cream Sauce · Chicken Pesto With Cream Sauce

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 Pasta With Pesto Cream Sauce · Pasta With Creamy Pesto Sauce And Shrimp

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Spain's traditional-method sparkling, made in Catalunya. Crisper and chalkier than Prosecco; remarkable value next to Champagne. Pair with jamón, tortilla, and grilled vegetables.