Whether you’re looking for an Italian restaurant to eat at or need catering in Greenville, NC and throughout Pitt County, you need to make sure you’re serving the right drinks. Depending on whether you’re eating something with red, white, or oil based sauces, can change what wine you should pair with it. At Famiglia Italian American Restaurant, we  offer a full service bar serving up fresh cocktails and competitive prices on all beer, wine, and liquour to our Greenville, NC patrons. Our dedicated staff helps to recommend what drinks to pair with our dishes every single day. With that experience in mind, here’s our quick guide to choosing the right wine for any Italian dish.

Red Wines

  • Cabernet Sauvignon– For this wine, the best way to go is with any dish with red sauce, like our Meat Lasagna. Cabernet’s are a hearty and rich wine so they go best with tomato-based red sauces.
  • Italian Chianti- Because Chianti is a strong, bold red wine, it goes together best with red sauces. It also pairs well with a light meat like chicken fish or pork. Chianti helps bring out these flavors rather than masking them.
  • Merlot- While it is not quite as harsh as other reds, it works best with tomato based red sauces. Try it with our Eggplant Parmesan.
  • Pinot Noir– Despite its dark color, this is an light red wine that goes with many dishes. It’s perfect for red sauce, but also goes great with white or oil based sauces. It’s the perfect thing to try with our Tortellini la Famiglia.
  • Sangiovese– This grape actually derives its name from the Latin ‘Sanguis Jovis’, which means ‘the Blood of Jupiter’. As you would think from its namesake, it’s a strong red that goes great with spicy Italian dishes like our Seafood Fra Davalo. This is best paired with red sauces, but could also work with cream or oil based sauces.
  • Zinfandel– This wine is spicy and peppery, with a hint of berries or dark cherries, so it’s best for thick, tomato-based red sauces, like our Mussels Marinara appetizer.

White Wines

  • Chardonnay-Like most white wines, Chardonnay is best paired with cream- or oil-based sauces like our Shrimp Scampi, but it can also be served with a light, tomato-based red sauce like our Pink Marinara.
  • Pinot Grigio– This wine is best paired with cream- or oil-based sauces, especially with our Pasta Carbonara.
  • Riesling– It is usually made to be a sweet wine, although it can also create a dry wine as well depending on where the grapes are from. Californian Rieslings tend to be dry, melon-like taste, while German Rieslings are tart and can have a grapefruit like taste.. Pair Riesling with cream- or oil-based sauces.
  • Sauvignon Blanc– Because these tend to be crisp and acidic, they’re a good fit for cream- or oil-based dishes, like our White Clam Sauce.

Want to Try?

Of course, the best way to figure out what food goes with what wine is by trying it. Stop by Famiglia Italian Restaurants to try it for yourself. Whether you’re interested in a slice of NY Pizza, a hearty italian soup, or a plate of pasta— we invite you to sit down and enjoy. Bring the whole family, take a seat, and let us take care of you. If you’re interested in learning more or in catering in Greenville, NC and Pitt County, don’t hesitate to contact us.