Chianti and Lasagna
Perhaps the best wine to pair with lasagna is a Chianti. Tart, spicy and herbaceous, Chianti tastes like you’d expect the hillside landscapes of Italy to taste like. This Sangiovese based red wine has a rustic profile and acidity that it won’t taste metallic against the tomato sauce backdrop.
Chianti, while it has herbal notes, is also balanced with refreshing fruit flavours that come in handy with the dense meaty flavours of Lasagna. The layers of meat, pasta, chopped veggies, and cheese all take their toll on your tastebuds to the point that you might feel that you are just shoveling the food in your mouth. That’s why it’s so easy to over-eat with Lasagna, as you’re trying to recapture the magic of the first few bites before your taste receptors were clogged up.
With Chianti, the acidity and refreshing fruit flavours of the wine are able to swoop in and recharge your senses, making you feel satisfied. This means you eat less, and will have delicious meal put aside for the following day.
Barbera / Dolcetto / Rosso Conero
Barbera, Dolcetto, and Rosso Conero all make excellent mambo partners with a red sauced based Lasagna as they are high in acidity, and light in alcohol. If you pair a red wine that is low in acid and high in tannin, the pairing will taste flat. Barbera, Dolcetto, and Rosso Conero aren’t showboat wines, but they will elevate the Lasagna with their fun and fruity flavours, which makes this pairing impressive.
All three of these Italian wines are not overly expensive and offer exceptional value when paired against Lasagna. Another bonus is that they are not high in alcohol, so you won’t feel like a zombie if you overindulge in extra slice or two of garlic bread with your Lasagna.
Pinot Noir & Zinfandel with Lasagna
Pinot Noir and Zinfandel are two other great choices for a red pairing, as they too have an acidic profile and not too much tannin. Pinot Noir is exceptional with Lasagna that features mushrooms, due to the earthy nature of the red.
Zinfandel works well with Lasagna due to its acidity, and fruity nose. Lasagna is a heavy dish, and Zinfandel provides an exceptional amount of refreshment in between each bite.
On a final note, another red wine that will go well with mushrooms, as well as tomato sauce, is a lighter styled Merlot. By lighter, we mean the wine leans towards acidic, vs grippy tannin or even medium-bodied versions you would find in Chile or Argentina. Cabernet Franc is an amazing pairing with vegetarian Lasagna as this wine has a hint of green flavour, like bell pepper, that complements all the veggies in the dish.
Even though there’s meat in Lasagna, we wouldn’t recommend a full-bodied and high tannin Merlot or alternative red like a Cabernet Sauvignon. The pairing will not hold up against the acidity of tomato paste, making everything tasting like tinfoil.
Pinot Grigio and Lasagna
For white wine, look for dry whites, like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling to pair up nicely with your Lasagna. I prefer Pinot Grigio with Lasagna as it has a neutral flavour that keeps your mouth refreshed against the density of Lasagna. The light fruity notes of Pinot Grigio also lift up the cheese, pasta and meat flavours, making them more satisfying, and ensuring you don’t overeat.
Sauvignon Blanc is exceptional with vegetarian Lasagna, where grilled veggies are used instead of ground beef. Sauvignon Blanc is also amazing with Lasagna that may feature goat cheese.
If you can’t choose between red or white, try pairing Lasagna with a Rosé, or Prosecco. Both wines aren’t overly sweet and lean toward the dry side. Thus they will cut through the greasy cheese and meat textures and lift out delightful flavours you may have never noticed before. Because they are either bubbly, or pink, both wines also tend to make you feel like you are celebrating something when you are drinking them. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with only celebrating the fact that you are eating Lasagna. It’s delicious!
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