October is National Pasta Month and whether it's spaghetti, lasagna or macaroni & cheese, we like ours served with wine.
Spaghetti with Red Sauce
If you have a big old plate of spaghetti with red sauce, a glass of Syrah would pair nicely. Either decant the wine, or let it breathe for a bit after pouring, before enjoying with dinner.
As an alternative, a Cabernet Sauvignon could pair nicely with this dish and is a common bottle found in most wine collections.
Lasagna or Spaghetti with Meatballs or Sausage
Now that we're adding meat to the dish, we may want to consider a different bottle of wine. While a Syrah would still pair nicely, open a Zinfandel instead, especially if the meat is spicy.
Personally, if I'm having a pasta dish with red sauce and meat, I have a bottle of Chianti opened. One of the most memorable tasting experiences I ever had was with Chianti: we poured, swirled, sniffed and tasted and the wine was not good. It tasted very flat without a lot of distinct flavor profiles. But then I had a bite of summer sausage and tasted again and WOW – what a difference! So if you're drinking Chianti with your pasta & meat dish, taste the wine, then have a bit of the meatball or sausage, then taste it again. You'll be in for a treat!
Fettuccine Alfredo
Now that we're away from the red sauce, we can move away from red wines. A light Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio would be fantastic with Fettuccine Alfredo. The crispness really cuts the thick fettuccine sauce.
If you're stuck on reds, you can get by with a light red like a Pinot Noir. But go white if available.
Macaroni & Cheese
While probably not a main dish, we don't want to ignore my daughter's favorite, Macaroni & Cheese. She'll have hers with milk, but if you're of age, try pairing yours with a Viognier. Another option would be a Chardonnay, as used with the Fettuccine Alfredo.
Happy National Pasta Month!
