Four out of five Nonnas agree – an Italian meal just isn’t complete without a glass of vino. Wine is arguably as much a symbol of the old country as pasta or panettone, such a staple that much of Brooklyn is still dotted with grapevines planted by early Italian immigrants for at-home winemaking.

Apart from wine, the other cornerstone of Sunday dinner tends to be a big pot of marinara sauce, whether it’s being used as the base for a meat dish or simply accompanying a bowl of spaghetti. If you enjoy serving your loved ones hearty dishes powered by the

classic red sauce, offering your guests a wine that complements it beautifully is essential.

Your first guess might be to opt for an Italian red. This is a good start, but understanding the specific flavor notes of a good tomato sauce will help narrow down the options and find a wine pairing that enhances both the food and the drink.

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Generally, white wine pairs well with white sauces and red wine with red sauces. This association is not determined by color but rather by the nature of the sauces and wines. Light-bodied wines containing sufficient acidity to offset the richness but not strong enough to overpower the subtle flavors of the food complement butter- and cream-based sauces perfectly. On the other hand, red wines, which are typically fuller-bodied boasting a range of robust and varied flavors, are suited to pair with a flavorful tomato sauce. Tomato sauces can possess several tantalizing flavors such as sweetness, umami, fruitiness, herby, and tanginess, making them ideal for red wines.

Acidity is the most critical aspect of selecting wine, according to some connoisseurs. Since tomatoes are quite an acidic food, it’s beneficial to choose wines with similar acidity levels. This advice means you should steer clear of full-bodied reds with high tannin content or those aged in oak barrels, which result in heavy, woody flavors. Tannins give a bitter taste, creating a beautiful, complex bouquet of flavors in a glass of Bordeaux or Cabernet. However, they might create a clashing, discordant result with zesty, acidic tomato sauce, leaving neither tasting as good as it should.

While considering light-to-medium bodied tangy reds low in bitterness, there are a few varieties that fit in perfectly. Barbera, a sprightly, juicy Piedmontese red perfectly paired with tomato and garlic, is a favorite among experts. Chianti, the quintessential Tuscan red similar to Barbera, is high in acidity and characterized by more earthy, herbal, and even smoky flavors. If you prefer something drier, an Etna Rosso from the Sicilian peak, while zingy, imparts more earthy, bitter tastes that won’t overwhelm the tomato sauce’s vibrancy.

There isn’t a rule that confines you to Italian varieties. Pinot noir, known as a versatile match for various dishes, pairs well with tomatoes, particularly the “new world” pinots from California and Oregon. The robust, fruity flavor of Zinfandel is sufficient to pair with hearty tomato dishes like bolognese. Wines from the Rhône region, like Grenache and Syrah, are known for their balanced blend of fruitiness, complex minerals, and herbaceous notes. When matching wine with tomato sauce, there are ample options available. And if it requires testing a few different bottles to find your favorite, consider it a small sacrifice for (culinary) science.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.