What wine goes with lasagna?

Chianti is the best wine for lasagna, since it has the acidity to match the tomato sauce and enough body to handle all that cheese and meat.

Lasagna is basically every hard pairing at once: acidic tomato, rich cheese, fatty meat. A wine needs high acidity for the sauce and a bit of weight for everything else. Italian Sangiovese, the grape in Chianti, was practically made for it.

4 bottles that actually work with lasagna

• 1. Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico

  about $25

  Sangiovese · grocery and wine shops

  The tan-label bottle you see everywhere, and the step up worth making for a big meaty lasagna. More depth than basic Chianti, with dried cherry and a savory, almost herbal edge.

• 2. Ruffino Chianti

  about $12

  Sangiovese · nearly everywhere

  The everyday version. Tart cherry and plenty of acidity for the sauce. Buy this when you are feeding a crowd.

• 3. Ménage à Trois Red Blend

  about $11

  Red blend · nearly everywhere

  Smooth, fruity and a little sweet. Not the textbook choice, but if your table likes soft reds, it holds up to a sausage lasagna better than you would expect.

• 4. Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio

  about $11

  Pinot Grigio · nearly everywhere

  For white or veggie lasagna. Light and crisp, it cuts through ricotta and spinach without competing.

Depends how you are cooking it

Classic meat lasagna

Chianti or Chianti Classico. The richer the meat sauce, the more you should spend.

Spinach and ricotta

Lighter. Pinot Grigio or a light red like Beaujolais.

White lasagna with béchamel

No tomato, lots of cream. An unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay.

Sausage and spicy

More fruit to tame the spice. Zinfandel or a soft red blend.

What to skip

Low-acid reds

Next to tomato sauce they taste flat and dull. This is why California Merlot often disappoints with lasagna.

Sweet whites

Tomato plus sugar turns sour and sticky. Keep it dry.

Also worth a look

• What wine goes with pasta?
• What wine goes with pizza?

Last checked 2026-10-04.