Lasagne alla Bolognese

Lasagne alla Bolognese

Layered ragù, béchamel and pasta make a hearty, savoury plate where slow-cooked meat meets the bright acidity of tomato, so the wine needs its own acidity to keep pace and only moderate tannin. Reach for a medium-bodied, savoury red. Avoid heavy tannin.

Pairs Perfectly

A Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy. Sangiovese's high acid locks onto the tomato while its savoury, cherry-and-herb depth carries the meat.

Pairs Well

A Barbera, Piedmont, Italy. All juicy acidity and low tannin, it is made for tomato-rich pasta and costs very little, the natural midweek choice.

A Cotes du Rhone, France. Its warm Grenache fruit and gentle spice round out the ragù from a different angle.

Avoid

Big, tannic reds such as Barolo or young Cabernet, which fight the tomato, and delicate whites that the ragù buries.

Failing That

A Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy.

If All Else Fails

Merlot, Chile.

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