Which French wine to drink with Italian dishes?

Which French Wine to Pair with Your Italian Meal

Italian cuisine is a staple of many meals, from pizza and pasta to risotto and charcuterie. Discover which French wines will best complement your Italian dishes in this article.

What Wine to Drink with Risotto?

Risotto is a quintessential Italian dish, with Arborio rice slowly cooked in broth and often accompanied by seafood, charcuterie, vegetables, or cheese.

• For seafood risotto, such as with shrimp, opt for a dry white wine from Alsace like a Riesling, or a Loire wine like a Pouilly Fumé.
• For risotto with pancetta, choose a red wine with fruity and sunny aromas. A Côtes du Rhône or a Languedoc wine works well.
• For mushroom risotto, a light red wine such as a Beaujolais is ideal.
• For vegetable risotto, a Sancerre will perfectly balance the dish.
• For four-cheese risotto, go with a dry and lively white wine from Roussillon.

What Wine to Pair with Pizza?

Pizza is the iconic Italian dish, loved by many, including the French. Different types of pizzas pair well with various wines.

• For pizzas with tomato sauce, select a fruity red wine like a Beaujolais or a Côtes du Rhône.
• For white pizzas, choose a dry and fruity white wine.
• For any type of pizza, a rosé from Provence is also a great match.

What Wine to Drink with Italian Charcuterie?

Italian charcuterie, including pancetta, coppa, and Parma ham, is diverse and flavorful.

• For an appetizer, pair your Italian charcuterie board with a light and fresh red wine. Options include Saint-Joseph, Côtes de Provence, or a red wine from Beaujolais. These wines harmonize beautifully with the subtle flavors of Italian charcuterie.

What Wine to Pair with Pasta?

Italian cuisine boasts numerous pasta recipes, such as carbonara, Bolognese, pesto, seafood pasta, and lasagna.

• For creamy pasta dishes like carbonara or seafood pasta, choose a dry white wine.
• For pasta with tomato sauce or meat, opt for a fruity and light red wine such as a Mâcon.
• For pasta with pesto, a white wine from the Loire, like a Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé, is a good choice.

Find more tips and perfect wine pairings for pasta in our dedicated article.

The Best Wine Pairings for Italian Cuisine

Italian cuisine is rich with flavorful dishes and subtle tastes. To complement your Italian recipes, consider French wines. For meat or tomato sauce dishes, always choose light and low-tannin red wines to balance the Mediterranean flavors. For vegetable and cream-based dishes, opt for dry white wines. Rosé wines also pair well with Italian specialties. Explore Avenue des Vins for a selection of the best French red, white, and rosé wines to enhance your Italian recipes.

FAQ - Wine and Italian food

Red or white wine with carbonara pasta?

Carbonara calls for a dry white rather than a red: its freshness cuts through the cream and egg. A white from Burgundy or Alsace handles this role well.

What wine goes with meat lasagna?

Lasagna combines meat, tomato and béchamel. A fruity, low-tannin red such as Beaujolais or Mâcon stays balanced without overpowering the dish.

Can a rosé work through a whole Italian meal?

Yes. A dry Provence rosé carries from the apéritif to pizza and antipasti. Serve it chilled, around 8 to 10 °C, to keep its freshness intact.

Why avoid a very tannic red with Italian food?

The acidity of tomato hardens tannins and brings out bitterness. Supple, fruity reds let the sauce speak instead of fighting it.

What serving temperature for a light red with pizza?

A light red like Beaujolais is best served slightly cool, between 13 and 15 °C. Too warm, and the fruit fades behind the alcohol.