Spicy, herby, meaty or creamy – every sauce has a wine to perfectly match.

Pasta is so incredibly tasty that it could probably be served up with a glass of water from the same pot and we’d still have a very good time. Luckily, there are way more enticing drinks to put with a bowl of perfectly twirled, saucy goodness to kick your dining experience up a few notches. And if you’re looking to hit peak pairing magic with your next ragu, marinara or pesto pasta, there are some ideal wines to make that happen.

When matching food to wine, the key is to consider the core flavours in the dish, so when seeking the most compatible drops for pasta, forget about the shape for a minute – it all comes down to the sauce. Do you go for rich, meaty braises or are you into brighter, more herbaceous flavours? These are the elements to drill down to here. Because we love the humble noodle so damn much, we’ve plotted out some of the best wines to serve with your next pasta dinner based on the sauce, including a native Italian variety for each one. Prego.

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1. Ragu: shiraz or sangiovese

Is there a household that doesn’t have spaghetti bolognese on high rotation? The spag bol staple is just one type of ragu, but whether it’s made with meat, pulses or mushrooms and other veg, these slow-cooked, hearty sauces have a serious depth of flavour. This puts them right at home alongside medium-bodied reds. Shiraz is a winner here – from lighter styles to the bigger, fruit-forward, traditional expressions, they’ll stand up nicely to ragu’s full flavours. The same goes for Chianti, or sangiovese – one of Italy’s most food-friendly wines. And if your ragu leans tomato-heavy, sangiovese is an especially great fit – the wine’s acidity makes for a classic combination.

Try: Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz or Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti

2. Arrabiata: rosé or nero d’Avola

Purists might argue whether bacon should be in this spicy sauce or not, but with or without, this is one super tasty dish. Traditionally served with penne pasta, this chilli-spiked, garlic-loaded tomato sauce delivers Italy’s trademark simplicity at its best. Tomato-loving sangiovese could work well here again, but we’re going for a rosé to cool things down. Dry and off-dry styles are made for the chilli and tomato in arrabiata, but if you’re after a richer wine in your glass, turn to nero d’Avola. This dark-fruited, fuller-bodied wine has good acidity and hints of spice that complement these same qualities in the arrabiata sauce.

Try: Turkey Flat Rosé or Colpasso Nero d’Avola

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3. Pesto: sauvignon blanc or Soave

Herbs like basil aren’t always easy to pair with wines, but when you have a pesto sauce that’s vibrant and almost grassy in flavour, it demands to be served with a bright sauvignon blanc. The more restrained, grassier styles of sauv work so well with this simple sauce made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil and Parmesan; together they go hand in hand. If you prefer to stick with an Italian vino, the white wine Soave, native to Veneto, is your friend. Its high acidity will cut through the oil in the pesto sauce, while its subtle herbal notes are made for herby dishes like this one.

Try: Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc or Vigneti del Sole Soave

4. Marinara: riesling or vermentino

One of the fanciest pasta sauces, seafood marinara commonly sees the likes of prawns, clams, mussels and calamari tossed through a tomato sauce, but it can also have a white wine, garlic and oil base (and don’t even think about putting cheese on top). Those fresh seafood flavours shine next to riesling, especially if your marinara gets a squeeze of lemon; the wine’s citrus notes and acidity fit like a glove. But if you’re no fan of riesling (see if we can convert you here), the crisp, dry Italian white vermentino’s bright fruit flavours, good acidity and subtly salty finish ensure it’s right at home next to seafood.

Try: Rieslingfreak No.34 Riesling or Rocca Di Montemassi Calasole Vermentino

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5. Carbonara: chardonnay or pinot grigio

Creamy, eggy, silky and rich – is there a more worthy contender for Most Comforting Dish? If you’re into carbonara, or other creamy sauces like alfredo or cacio e pepe, you’re in prime chardonnay territory. You’ll want a chardy with some weight to meet the mouth-coating texture of the dish – one that’s spent time in oak, but still has good acidity and a fresh finish. Ask staff in-store for direction, but Margaret River is a solid hunting ground. If your tastes veer to lighter whites, pinot grigio is a great sub. Bright, crisp and ready to refresh the palate, pinot grigio styles – as opposed to gris – will hum nicely in the background.

Try: Robert Oatley Signature Series Margaret River Chardonnay or Torresella Pinot Grigio

6. Puttanesca: pinot noir or fiano

Puttanesca might be one of the greatest sauces you can swirl your spaghetti through. Loaded with anchovies, olives, garlic, capers and tomatoes, this is one salty, umami-fuelled, flavourful dish. Pinot noir ticks all the boxes here, particularly more earthy, savoury styles as they won’t get in the way of those big flavours, even if you put chilli in your puttanesca. Pinot also tends to have great acidity, which will help to offset the briny, sharp elements going on. If white wine is more your jam, serve up a textural fiano. This variety can strike a rare balance between rich and complex and fresh and vibrant, making it the ultimate sidekick to puttanesca.

Try: Josef Chromy Distant South Tasmania Pinot Noir or Notte Rossa Salento Fiano