The Perfect Wine And Cheese Gnocchi Pairing

Gnocchi is a type of Italian dumpling typically made from potato, flour, and egg. The right sauce and a matching wine can make or break these dumplings. While gnocchi itself is quite plain, it is often served with a wide variety of sauces, from tomato-based to creamy. The sauce is the dominant flavour, so your food and wine pairing will depend on the sauce.

For gnocchi with a tomato-based sauce, a crisp and light white wine like Pinot Grigio, Fiano, and Pecorino is a good choice. Acidic red wines such as Chianti, Nero d’Avola, or Barbera are also excellent pairings. Gnocchi in a cream sauce or with brown butter calls for richer white wines, such as an oaked Chardonnay or Soave.

When it comes to baked gnocchi with meat ragù, Nero d’Avola or Barbera are good choices as they cut through the rich and flavourful dish. For gnocchi with pesto sauce, a grassy Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino is recommended to complement the flavours of basil, garlic, and olive oil.

Ultimately, the best wine to pair with gnocchi depends on the sauce and your personal preferences. Experimenting with different wines can be enjoyable, as there is no single correct answer to this culinary question.

Chianti, Barbera d'Asti, or aged Barbera

Chianti, Barbera d'Asti, and aged Barbera are excellent wine choices to pair with cheese gnocchi. These wines complement the cheese without overwhelming the dish.

Chianti is a reliable wine that pairs exceptionally well with tomato-based gnocchi. It has high acidity, low tannins, and fruity notes, creating a delightful combination with the zesty tomato sauce. Its flavours of cherries, plums, and strawberries marry perfectly with the sweet and sour mix of tomatoes.

Barbera d'Asti is another excellent choice, especially if you're looking for something with less tannin. This wine is more acidic, bringing out the earthy flavours of the gnocchi. It has a lighter colour and fluid texture due to the sandier soils of its region.

Aged Barbera is a red wine with delicate fruit tannins that soften over time. Drinking it within the right timeframe—between two and six years for oaked Barbera and one to eight years for unoaked Barbera—will ensure you savour its full flavour.

When pairing wine with gnocchi, remember that the sauce plays a pivotal role in the pairing process. The soft, fluffy texture of gnocchi calls for a wine that complements its comfort-filled whisper. Chianti, Barbera d'Asti, or aged Barbera are excellent choices to elevate your cheese gnocchi experience.

Pinot Grigio, Fiano, and Pecorino

Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling made from potatoes, flour, eggs, and cheese. It is often served with a variety of sauces, and the sauce is the dominant flavour when it comes to pairing with wine.

These crisp Italian white wines are excellent choices to pair with gnocchi in a fresh or lightly cooked tomato sauce. The acidity in these wines complements the tartness of the tomatoes, with their pear and lemon flavours adding a smoky edge to the sauce.

Other Wine Suggestions

For a more intense tomato sauce, a light Italian red like Chianti or Barbera d'Asti is recommended. If you're serving gnocchi with a creamy sauce, a slightly richer white like Soave or Valpolicella is a better match. For gnocchi with pesto, a wine that stands up to the boldness of the sauce is needed, such as Vermentino, or a light red like Barbera.

Chardonnay, Soave, or Valpolicella

Gnocchi is a versatile dish that can be paired with a variety of wines depending on its preparation and sauce. Here is some information on how Chardonnay, Soave, or Valpolicella can complement cheese gnocchi:

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a versatile white wine that pairs well with gnocchi, especially when the dish is prepared with a creamy sauce or has a buttery element to it. The oaked variety of Chardonnay is particularly recommended for gnocchi in a cream sauce as it can mirror the richness of the dish while maintaining a taste of freshness. Chardonnay's buttery notes complement the butter in the gnocchi, and its acidity adds vibrancy to the sauce. When paired with baked gnocchi, which is a heartier dish, a full-bodied Chardonnay can be a good choice.

Soave

Soave is a light Italian white wine that is a blend of primarily Garganega grapes with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, or Trebbiano. It offers rich notes of green apple, lemon, pear, herbs, almonds, spice, and honey. Soave is recommended for gnocchi in cream sauces as its richness can stand up to the creaminess of the dish without being overpowered. The nuttiness of Soave also pairs well with any Italian cheese in the cream sauce, such as Parmesan.

Valpolicella

Valpolicella is a versatile Italian red wine that is produced in the Veneto region. It is known for its bright, lively, and balanced sour cherry flavors. Valpolicella is a good choice for gnocchi, especially when the dish is served with a light meat or sun-dried tomatoes. The wine's acidity and fruity notes complement the flavors of the gnocchi, creating a harmonious pairing.

Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino

Sauvignon Blanc is a zesty, fresh, and herbaceous wine that is the go-to choice when having gnocchi with a green twist, such as pesto. Sauvignon Blanc's herbal notes complement the green goodness of the pesto without stealing its thunder.

Vermentino, on the other hand, is a light-bodied white wine that grows mostly in Italy on the island of Sardinia. It can be deliciously complex in taste in a similar style to Sauvignon Blanc. It offers lively aromas of pear, white peach, lime, and pink grapefruit with subtle notes of crushed rocks and citrus zest. On the palate, Vermentino is almost always dry and somewhat oily with grapefruit and citrus flavours, along with a crushed rocky minerality and saltiness. It is a wonderful wine to match with medium-weight dishes that play with rich herbs and spices.

Both Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino are excellent choices to pair with cheese gnocchi, depending on the sauce and your personal preference.

Pinot Noir, Syrah, or Zinfandel

Pinot Noir is a red-wine grape variety grown in cooler climates around the world, including Oregon's Willamette Valley and California's Sonoma County. It is a difficult grape to cultivate and transform into wine, as it is susceptible to rot and fungal diseases. The wine produced from Pinot Noir tends to be lightly coloured, medium-bodied, and low in tannins. When young, it has red fruit aromas of cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, and as it ages, it can develop more complex "barnyard" aromas. Its thin skin and low levels of phenolic compounds make it susceptible to rot and fungal diseases, so it requires diligent canopy management.

Syrah, also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. The style and flavour profile of wines made from Syrah vary depending on the climate where the grapes are grown. In moderate climates, they tend to produce medium to full-bodied wines with medium-plus to high levels of tannins and notes of blackberry, mint, and black pepper. In hot climates, Syrah is more consistently full-bodied, with softer tannins, jammier fruit, and spice notes of licorice, anise, and earthy leather. Syrah has a long history in the Rhône region of southeastern France and is now grown in many other regions, including Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, California, and Washington.

Zinfandel, also known as Primitivo, is a variety of black-skinned wine grape grown in over 10% of California vineyards. It produces a robust red wine with red berry fruit flavours like raspberry in cooler areas and blackberry, anise, and pepper notes in warmer regions. Zinfandel is quite vigorous and grows best in warm but not too hot climates, as the grapes may shrivel in hot weather. The grape's thin skin and tight clusters make it prone to bunch rot. Zinfandel is often praised for its ability to reflect its terroir and the winemaker's style and skill.

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