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Italian & takeout · Wine pairing

What wine goes with spaghetti & meat sauce?

Bolognese and meatballs in red sauce pair with Italian reds that have high acidity: Chianti, Barbera, Montepulciano or Merlot.

The rule: Italian food, Italian wine, usually right.

By Rate This Wine editors · Updated · How we rate

Spaghetti & meat sauce

Photo: Peachyeung316, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The 3 best wines with spaghetti & meat sauce

  1. Sangiovese (Chianti)

    1 Sangiovese (Chianti) Medium-bodied red

    Chianti Classico matches the sauce’s acidity and savory meat.

    Serve 60-64°F Chianti from $12; Brunello $50+

  2. Barbera

    2 Barbera Medium-bodied red

    Soft and juicy for kids-at-the-table spaghetti nights.

    Serve 58-62°F From $14

  3. Merlot

    3 Merlot Medium-to-full red

    A round, easygoing choice for richer meat sauces.

    Serve 60-65°F Great value from $12; Right Bank Bordeaux $40+

Best on a budget: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

Also good

Tempranillo (Rioja)Grenache (Garnacha)Zinfandel

What to avoid

  • Delicate whites. Lost against meat and tomato.

It depends how you cook it

If you’re having…Pour
MeatballsChianti or Zinfandel.
Ragù alla BologneseSangiovese di Romagna or Barbera.

Frequently asked questions

What wine goes with spaghetti and meatballs?

Chianti is the classic. Barbera and Zinfandel are great alternatives.

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