The Best Pasta And Wine Pairing For A Vodka Sauce

Pasta with vodka sauce is one of those beloved dishes that sparks some debate about its origins, whether it's Italian or Italian-American. That said, no one argues that this plate is delicious. And while you might have already mastered our tips for making homemade pasta sauce, another important component of this meal is how to serve it. 

Deciding what type of pasta to toss with your sauce and the ideal wine pairing to present at the table can be tough, especially when you're in the throes of meal planning. So Chowhound enlisted an expert to help out — Rosanna Scotto, who along with her daughter Jenna Ruggiero, co-owns Fresco by Scotto. The restaurant has been a New York City institution for more than three decades, and Scotto generously shared her professional advice on these all-important pasta-serving topics.

Perhaps the most iconic vodka sauce partner is penne, Scotto exclusively told Chowhound. But at Fresco, diners will find a subtle spin on their plate — garganelli, a similar tube-shaped pasta that has a few more ridges and is hand-rolled instead of extruded. Once your garganelli is well-dressed with sauce, you can set it down with a perfect wine pairing. In this case, Scotto reaches for a classic — Chianti Classico, to be exact.

The pasta shape Rosanna Scotto suggests is similar to penne in that they both boast ridges, although the lines run parallel on penne and perpendicular on garganelli. The two pastas also share an opening that acts as a vessel for that familiar rich and creamy vodka-based sauce. "The ridges on the pasta let the sauce coat the outside, and its tubular shape allows the sauce to fill the inside," Scotto explained. While you might not be able to find garganelli in every grocery store, it is often stocked at specialty stores. And if you want even more of a challenge, you can try making fresh pasta from scratch.

When it comes to wine, Chianti Classico is a great pairing for any red pasta sauce, including tomato- and cream-based vodka sauce. The dry red wine is made primarily with Sangiovese grapes native to Italy, and is required to meet certain standards to get the "Classico" certification. Look for the telltale black rooster seal on the wine label to get an authentic bottle. You get "bonus points for a Reserva," Scotto says, which — when it comes to Chianti — means the liquid has aged in barrels for no less than two years, and aged another three months in the bottle before making it to your table.

Together, Scotto's suggested pasta and wine pairing epitomizes classic, comforting dining. And regardless of the sauce's origin, it's a meal that is sure to leave you with lasting memories.