Your Official Guide to Cheesy Pasta Wine Pairings

Italian for “cheese and pepper,” cacio e pepe is a Roman classic of long noodles (usually spaghetti) with Pecorino Romano and a generous amount of black pepper. When it comes to saltiness, Pecorino Romano is not shy. It packs a double punch of richness and salinity because it’s made from sheep’s milk, which is higher in fat than its cow and goat cousins.

Plus, “the more aged a cheese is, the fuller and sharper its flavor profile is, the more unctuous it tastes in your mouth,” says Katie Quinn, author of Cheese, Wine, and Bread: Discovering the Magic of Fermentation in England, Italy, and France. “You want something that is going to balance that out, and cut the full fattiness.”

“Effervescent wine is ideal, like Franciacorta,” she continues. The sparkling wine from Lombardy has a dry crispness that can stand up to cacio e pepe’s creamy zing. Pét Nat is another excellent option, she adds.

Many assume fettuccine Alfredo is an Italian-American creation. But, it turns out the dish was conceived by its namesake, Alfredo di Lelio, in his restaurant on the Via Della Scrofa in Rome. “Give me all the cheesy Alfredo,” says Kyle. She pairs it with “a creamy, buttery wine with high acidity, like an oaked Chardonnay.”

The wine’s acidity is essential for standing up to all the fat in the butter, heavy cream and Parmesan that goes into making Alfredo sauce, she explains. The Chardonnay’s boldness and structure play well with the dish’s richness. But if you prefer a red, Kyle suggests something light and fresh, like a Sangiovese from Lungarotti or Umbria.

Mac and cheese is like a blank slate for culinary creativity. It can be silky smooth or crunchy with breadcrumbs. It may be made with any and all kinds of cheeses, from nutty Gruyere and piquant Roquefort to sharp cheddar. Regardless of the vast possibilities, Quinn says, “the high acidity in a dry Riesling would make it a go-to for mac and cheese.” Salty cheeses across the board balance the aromatic wine, and Riesling’s brightness refreshes the palate so that you’re ready for another spoonful of mac.

This Sicilian classic dish includes pasta with eggplant tossed in tomato sauce and topped with fresh basil and ricotta salata (pressed and aged ricotta), which lends a salty, pleasantly mouth-puckering bite. Quinn thinks a Chianti is a winner here. “It’s not too fruity, not too dry and an all-around people pleaser that compliments the pasta’s tomatoey-ness,” she explains. Chianti’s subtle notes of smoke bring out ricotta salata’s deep brininess and the earthy depth of the eggplant, as well as the basil’s fragrant freshness.

Light, fluffy ricotta gnocchi have a delicateness that sets them apart from many of the other cheese-bomb pasta dishes. “Ricotta has a distinct sweetness that is great with a lighter red that is not super tannic, like a Barbera from Piedmont,” Kyle suggests.

Barbera is the everyday red of Piedmont, which is nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps. Its friendly red berry notes and mouth-watering acidity make it a welcome match to these joy-inducing, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings.

Filled with creamy ricotta cheese, topped with milky mozzarella and baked in marinara sauce, Italian-American stuffed shells are comfort food at its best. “Something more powerful is perfect for this dish,” says Kyle. She opts for a Brunello di Montalcino, “because of its high acid, high tannins and tomato leaf quality.” The Tuscan superstar’s profound complexity and robust body—and all its acidity and tannins—can stand up to the festival of pasta, tomato and rich, melty cheese this dish offers.

Meat lasagna is one of the bigger, bolder cheesy pasta dishes, made with layers of unctuous flavor. With meat lasagna, opt for a fuller-bodied red wine. Its puckery, high tannins are softened by the meat’s fat and salt.

“I’d drink an Aglianico from [Southern Italy],” Kyle says. “It’s vegetal and earthy, a big wine for all those melty cheeses.” The powerful Aglianico grape has been used to make wine since Ancient Roman times and usually contains a surprising balance and freshness—an ideal foil for a heavy dish.

When it comes to pasta with peppery, luxurious blue cheese, Quinn gravitates toward “the kind of wine that hits your tongue and you think: ‘Ooh! Jammy!’” Just like berry jam is a superb choice for serving with blue cheese, Quinn recommends a “full, fruity, bold wine like Primitivo from Puglia.” Primitivo is high in both alcohol and tannins, intensely flavored and beautifully inky. From the boot of Italy, it has ripe red berry flavors and the right amount of structure to match the rich dish.

No shade, there’s a time and a place for silky smooth pasta made possible by a packet of fluorescent orange powder. When pairing, Kyle reaches for a drink with similarly quirky flavors. “Orange wine has tannins because it sits on skins longer, and its textural component makes it perfect for the punch of processed cheese,” she says. With a citrus zing and an inviting versatility, this wine also shines with a retro, delicious cheese snack: Velveeta on Ritz crackers.