A Hearty Embrace of Italian Food & Wine Pairings: Red Wine Slow-Braised Italian Beef Ragù
Hi Wine Friend!
So much of my wine content in the past has been focused on wine pairings with food — it’s my favorite topic when it comes to the world of wine.
When I was 20 years old, I never really drank wine before. I grew up in Upstate New York in a beer-loving family (Guinness in particular), so it wasn’t until my Junior year in college when I moved to Barcelona for the semester to study abroad that I got my first taste of wine. Boy was I spoiled to have Spain as my first introduction to wine!
But in Spain, wine ALWAYS accompanies food. My favorite pastime in Barcelona was visiting tapas bars with friends and enjoying delicious Catalan dishes alongside remarkable (and affordable) wine.
This story on how I was introduced to wine is why I love food and wine pairings so much.
And as 2024 kicked off, we had some brutal snowstorms here in Portland, so my husband and I spent much of January tinkering in the kitchen with some new dishes. He also just became obsessed with making homemade pasta, which I am pretty darn excited about.
I wanted to take today to share one of our favorite new recipes with you: Red Wine Slow Braised Italian Beef Ragù — and the wines that go incredibly well with it.
This recipe comes from our friends Angela and Mark over at Cooking With Wine. If you haven't explored their recipes before, you're in for a treat – I love their simple, soul-warming Italian dishes that elevate the home dining experience, especially for those cooking enthusiasts who love food and wine pairings.
Since I often like to follow the theory that what grows together goes together, I have shared three Italian wines that pair exceptionally well with this ragù dish.
I hope you also try this hearty Cooking With Wine recipe and explore these three delicious Italian wines this winter!
Lambrusco
Probably the most famous of all Italian ragù recipes is Bolognese sauce. As Angela calls out in her article, this sauce is so famous that many people actually refer to any meat sauce as a “Bolognese,” which is incorrect. Bolognese is a particular type of ragù sauce that hails from the gastronomic haven of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.
When I learned this, I knew that I had to try Lambrusco with the ragù dish. Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine from the Emilia-Romagna region that has lively red and black fruit characteristics and a slight sweetness. Despite it being lighter in body than a wine I would normally pair with this dish, It’s actually a perfect counterpoint to the robust flavors of the slow-braised beef, creating a harmonious symphony on your palate.
Trust me, it works!
Sangiovese
For wine lovers who enjoy a wine with a bit more structure and elegance, Sangiovese is a no-brainer! Its medium to full-bodied profile, balanced acidity, hints of earthiness, and red fruit notes complement the richness of the ragù.
For me personally, I have yet to find any Italian dishes that don’t work with Sangio. It’s my go-to food wine!
Barbera
If you prefer your wine more bold and full-bodied than Lambrusco and Sangiovese — and more affordable — Barbera is your match.
With its high acidity, robust dark fruit flavors, and velvety texture, Barbera holds its own against the hearty goodness of the beef ragù. This wine's characteristics of subtle spice also add depth to each bite.
In conclusion, whether you choose a lively Lambrusco, an elegant Sangiovese, or a bold Barbera, each wine is a stellar companion to Italian Beef Ragù.
I hope this has given you some cooking inspiration for the new year, and…
Mangia!