According to a recent survey, a whopping 68% of Brits enjoy a pasta dish at least once a week – and 42% enjoy a bowl of pasta several times a week. Yes, there’s no denying pasta is the ultimate in versatile, delicious, comfort food. But what wine should you pair with pasta – and does it make a difference?

It doesn’t matter if you’ve opted for a simple bowl of pesto pasta or have pushed the boat out with a rich, slow-cooked ragu to share with family and friends, a pasta dish always benefits from a great wine pairing. It’s important to think about the wine’s body, sweetness, acidity and tannins – a high-tannin wine can clash with some flavours, while wines with low acidity can dull the taste of certain pasta dishes.

Read on to discover our easy tips for matching wine with pasta like a pro. So all you need to do is pour and enjoy.

Pasta comes in a remarkable assortment of shapes, sizes and textures, each lending itself to different ways of cooking and types of sauces. Sounds overwhelming, but the good news is that this also means you have a wide array of choices for finding the best wine to serve with pasta. In short? You are pretty much guaranteed to find a wine pairing you love.

Here are our top easy tips for matching wine with pasta like a pro:

1. The “what goes together grows together” rule firmly applies but don’t let it hold you back! Italian reds and whites are a natural choice, but wines from all over the world are just as suited to pasta dishes.

2. Ignore the pasta shape and concentrate on the sauce. Choose a wine that complements the pasta sauce’s flavours and balances the texture and taste of the meats and vegetables in the dish.

3. You can’t go wrong pairing red wine with a tomato-based sauce, while white wines pair well with cream- or cheese-based sauces.

Browse our range of red wines and white wines.

If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry – we’ll break down six best-loved pasta dishes and suggest some delicious ideas for what wines to pair with pasta.

Inspired to try wines from pasta’s native Italy? Browse our delicious bottles of Italian wines as an ideal starting point for what wine to pair with pasta.

Wine pairings: Chianti, Shiraz

Brimming with natural acidity, tomato-rich pasta dishes partner best with medium- to high-acidity red wines. A low-acidic wine can compromise the flavour and result in a bland-tasting dish.

Lasagne combines a rich, meaty tomato sauce with white Bechamel sauce, meaning many wines can pair well with this hearty family favourite. Our favourite? A Chianti or a Shiraz. They’re also packed with fruity flavours and savoury herbal hints, so complement the rich meat, creamy cheese and pasta sheets well. The bright cherry and strawberry notes also contrast beautifully against the dense flavours of lasagne, while their firm acidity cleanses your palate, making each bite as satisfying as the first.

Wine pairings: Unoaked Chardonnay, off-dry Riesling

The ultimate comfort food, macaroni and cheese is a firm favourite among Brits.

Savoury, cheesy and creamy, with a nutty finish from that crispy, bubbling top layer, a light unoaked Chardonnay is a good choice for this dish. Its bone-dry style and refreshing acidity cuts through the rich, fatty cheese blend. Alternatively, an off-dry Riesling’s sweetness is balanced by the saltiness of the cheese, while wine’s acidity refreshes your palate.

Wine pairing: Pinot Grigio

Light-bodied white wines such as Pinot Grigio are a terrific match with seafood pasta dishes.

With Italy’s extensive Mediterranean coastline, numerous pasta dishes feature seafood, from shrimp, prawns and anchovies to mussels and clams. Italian white wines such as Pinot Grigio, with their high minerality and refreshing acidity, are the perfect partners for these dishes. A light, crisp Pinot Grigio pairs beautifully with Spaghetti Vongole, bringing out the seafood’s natural delicate and sweet flavours.

About the author

Nikki Jacoby

Nikki has spent all her career in wine, selling it first by the spoken word, then as a writer in the publishing world, before returning to work within the Laithwaites’ copy team for most of the last 30 years. Many years ago, she passed both halves of the diploma, but the greatest education in wine has been a full immersion in it, visiting the places and talking to its many passionate producers. As a topic, it will never cease to fascinate.