Recipes & Pairings

Practical guides for pairing natural wine with food — from everyday dinners and pizza nights to charcuterie boards and fine dining.

Colored-pencil drawing of a bowl of short twisted trofie pasta fully coated in bright green basil pesto, a basil leaf on top, no lemon
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Pesto Pasta?
Vermentino, the native white grape of Liguria where pesto comes from, is the classic wine for pesto pasta. Crisp, herbal whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis and Gavi also work, and so does a dry rosé.
Colored-pencil drawing of a plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Spaghetti?
Tart, medium-bodied Italian reds such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Chianti suit spaghetti with tomato sauce, meatballs or bolognese. Spaghetti with clams or garlic and oil takes a young, unoaked Italian white.
Colored-pencil drawing of a slice of lasagna showing layers of meat sauce and bechamel
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Lasagna?
Dry Lambrusco Grasparossa, Barbera and Nero d'Avola are the classic wines for meat lasagna, because their acidity matches the tomato and their fruit stands up to ragù and cheese. For vegetable lasagna, pour a crisp white such as Soave or dry Riesling.
Colored-pencil drawing of a few pieces of salmon and tuna nigiri sushi on a board
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Sushi?
Dry mineral whites such as Chablis or Albariño, light Pinot Noir and dry rosé are the classic wines for sushi. Pick whites for shellfish and white fish, Pinot Noir for tuna.
Colored-pencil drawing of a roast rack of lamb with its rib bones showing
Buying guide 7 min read
What Wine Pairs With Lamb?
Syrah, Grenache blends from the Rhône and Pinot Noir are the classic wines for lamb, and Cabernet Sauvignon suits roast lamb cooked past pink. Lamb is rich but more delicate than beef, so a medium-bodied red with good acidity fits most dishes.
Colored-pencil drawing of one thick seared bone-in pork chop with a golden-brown crust on a plain plate, no side dishes, no corn, no potatoes
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Pork Chops?
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Riesling are the classic wines for pork chops. Pick a light red for a plain seared or grilled chop and Riesling when the chop comes with apples, a sweet glaze or chili.
Colored-pencil drawing of a grilled ribeye steak with grill marks, sliced to show a pink center
Buying guide 7 min read
What Wine Pairs With Steak?
Dry red wine is the match for steak: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Nebbiolo and Montepulciano are the classic picks. Fatty cuts such as ribeye take firm, tannic reds, and lean cuts such as filet take lighter reds with more acidity.
Colored-pencil drawing of a seared salmon fillet topped with dill and a lemon slice
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Salmon?
Pinot Noir served cool, dry rosé and Chardonnay with a little oak are the classic wines for salmon. Pick a wine with bright acidity and low tannin, then match it to the sauce.
Colored-pencil drawing of a wooden board of salami, prosciutto and cured meats with cornichons
Buying guide 6 min read
What Wine Pairs With Charcuterie?
Lambrusco, sparkling wine, dry rosé, Beaujolais and young Syrah are the classic wines for a charcuterie board. Pick a wine with more acidity than the food and little harsh tannin.
Colored-pencil drawing of bibimbap in a stone bowl with egg yolk, carrots, spinach, bean sprouts and mushrooms
Buying guide 7 min read
What Wine Pairs With Korean Food?
Orange wine, earthy light- to medium-bodied reds and sparkling wine are the classic matches for Korean food. Keep tannin and alcohol modest, since both make chili heat feel stronger.
Colored-pencil drawing of a margherita pizza with basil leaves and melted mozzarella
Buying guide 8 min read
What Wine Pairs With Pizza?
Lambrusco, Barbera and dry rosé suit most pizza, because their acid matches tomato sauce and cuts through melted cheese. For toppings, pour Nebbiolo with mushroom and Chardonnay with white pizza.