The Unique Wine You Should Be Pairing With Pasta Carbonara

Carby pasta, buttery egg, nutty Parmesan, savory pancetta — is there anything more reliably delicious and comforting than pasta carbonara? Once you learn to make classic Roman carbonara with the eggs and cheese creating that rich creaminess, whipping up a spaghetti carbonara is so simple it's a dream. And it's just as easy to take that heavenly meal one step further with the perfect wine pairing. We wanted to hear from an expert what type of wine best suits carbonara, so we asked Amy Racine, Beverage Director and Partner at JF Restaurants.

"Soave is my favorite go-to for pasta carbonara," Racine says. "Texturally, the wine has a richness without any oak that matches perfectly to the rich egg yolk. On the palate the wine has a hint of citrus peel to brighten the dish and play against the pancetta, yet the wine also has a nuttiness like bitter almond that I love with the pasta itself and the umami of parmesan." Soave wine has been popping up at American wine shops and bars more in recent years, but it's still lesser known than fellow Italian white wines like pinot grigio. This just makes it more of a treat to get to know, especially with its bright fruity notes of honeydew, peach, and orange zest that play against its richness.

Soave is a white wine named for its where it's made — Soave is a town near Verona, Italy; the wine is produced there and the surrounding Veneto region. To be considered Soave, the wine must be at least 70% garganega grapes, plus other approved varietals like chardonnay. Italy gave this type of wine a Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or DOC, distinguishing it into three types, Soave, Soave Classico, and Soave Colli Scaligeri, depending on where the  grapes are grown. Soave, the best known and most produced, is the one you're likely to encounter. It's floral and fruity, possessing a sweetness and acidity that's countered by the touch of light bitterness Amy Racine mentions. It also has a balance of mouth-coating richness and a crisp, dry finish, which makes it the ideal partner to carbonara — Soave matches the dish's creamy, fatty profile while cutting through it with acidity and dryness. You may also find aged versions of Soave, which will be extra complex with notes of spices, herbs, and minerality.

To further enhance the similar and contrasting qualities of carbonara and Soave, incorporate other elements. Adding kale and hazelnuts to spaghetti carbonara would pull out the wine's nutty bitterness while adding earthiness. Black pepper or crushed red pepper would introduce heat and spice, while basil would freshen things up with light herbaceousness. Even with classic carbonara, Soave promises a rich yet balanced, complex yet effortless match.