Bolognese Wine Pairings That Will Make You Say Buono!
Looking for the best Bolognese wine pairings for your next pasta dinner? I’ve got you covered!
In the cooler months, Spaghetti Bolognese is one of my favorite dishes to enjoy with a good bottle of wine. I love Marcella Hazan’s simple recipe. I can leave it simmering on the stove all day and it makes our house smell amaaazing.
As a certified wine expert, I’ve tested out a lot of pairings with this dish. And I’ve put together my top recommendations for you. Plus, I’m sharing Marcella’s classic recipe.
So, set your dinner table and get ready to enjoy some delicious pasta and wine pairings!
Best Bolognese Wine Pairings
Wines that have a high tannin content and good acidity are the best choice to go with this red sauce. The fat in the ground beef will balance out the tannins, and the acidity will hold up to tomato-based sauces.
You don’t need to go beyond Italian wines for a ton of great options. Here are my recommendations for the best wine pairing picks.
While you’re here, don’t miss my ultimate guide to pasta wine pairing.
Chianti Classico
You can’t go wrong with a classic Italian Chianti. They don’t call it Classico for nothing. This Tuscan titan is the OG pairing with Bolognese. Like Romeo and Juliet, it’s a match made in heaven (except for the whole drinking the poison part).
The combination of Sangiovese’s high acidity and high tannins with the richness of the sauce will make you feel like you actually are in heaven. Just make sure it says Classico on the bottle.
Brunello di Montalcino
Trying to impress your boo? Look no further than Brunello.
Like Chianti Classico, this Italian red wine is made from the Sangiovese grape but in the southern part of Tuscany. The warmer climate makes it more intense and fuller-bodied. It’s also required to be aged five years, two in oak, before release.
To get the most bang for your buck, buy one of these Italian reds and hold it for several years. Your taste buds will thank you.
Don’t have time to wait? The younger and less expensive Rosso di Montalcino would also make a good pairing with this classic Italian dish.
Verdicchio
If you’re not a red-wine drinker, don’t fret. Though not as good of a match, you can have white wine with this dish, especially since there’s actually some in the sauce.
Verdicchio, one of my favorite white wines of Italy, would be a great match with its dry crispness and great acidity.
Or you could just have the rest of the bottle that you used for the recipe. That is, if you haven’t consumed it all while cooking (guilty as charged).
Looking for more pasta and wine pairing ideas? Check out my recommendations for carbonara wine pairing, what wine goes with lasagna, and the best wine with shrimp scampi.
Or try wine pairing with Chicken Marsala, pesto wine pairing, burrata wine pairing, and Cambozola wine pairing.
Tips for Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Meat Sauce Recipe
For this recipe, Marcella recommends using a pot or large saucepan that retains heat. I’ve found my enameled Lodge Dutch oven works great for this.
I also love my Wusthof knives for chopping all the veggies.
PSA: Please do not use anything labeled “cooking wine” in this recipe. If you wouldn’t drink it on its own, then don’t put it in your food. Most dry white wines should work fine for this. I’d recommend something like a Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc.
Note that the recipe calls for vegetable oil rather than olive oil because it has a higher smoke point. Also, be sure to salt the meat immediately after you put it in the pot. This helps bring out the juices.
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Bolognese Sauce
Equipment
- Enameled Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp butter for sauce
- 1 tbsp butter for tossing with pasta
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2/3 cup chopped celery
- 2/3 cup chopped carrots
- 3/4 pound ground beef chuck Or you can use a mix of ground beef and ground pork.
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 whole nutmeg or ground nutmeg
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups canned plum tomatoes cut up with juice
Instructions
- Put oil, butter, and chopped onion in pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
- Add celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add beef, a large pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Cook until the beef is just browned.
- Add milk and simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed.
- Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of nutmeg and stir.
- Add wine and simmer until evaporated.
- Stir in tomatoes and when they begin to bubble, turn down to a low simmer.
- Cook for 3 hours uncovered. If sauce dries out while cooking, add 1/2 cup of water, but make sure to cook off so no water is left at the end.
