Penne alla vodka

Penne alla vodka

Assuming penne in a tomato sauce enriched with cream and vodka, with a pinch of chilli and grated parmesan.

Penne alla vodka pairs the acidity of cooked tomato with the richness of cream, so the wine needs fresh acidity for the tomato and enough body for the cream. Firm tannin and heavy oak sit awkwardly on a creamy sauce, and a light white is lost against the tomato.

Pairs Perfectly. Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, a darker rosé, Italy. Made from Montepulciano, vivid in colour, with cherry, a little spice and the body of a light red, it has the acidity for the tomato and none of the tannin to jar with the cream.

Pairs Well. Xinomavro from Amyndeon, Greece. A fresh, red fruited Xinomavro whose tomato leaf and sour cherry notes echo the sauce, with bright acidity and gentle grip.

Pairs Well. Primitivo, Puglia, Italy. Ripe plum and soft tannin, round enough for the cream, and priced for any night of the week.

Worth Seeking Out

Susumaniello from Puglia, Italy. Dark cherry and a soft, supple texture, a southern Italian red that sits comfortably beside tomato and cream.

Avoid

Heavily oaked, tannic reds and delicate whites. Oak and grip turn harsh against the cream, and a light white vanishes beside the tomato.

Failing That

A Rosado de Navarra, Spain.

If All Else Fails

Grenache, southern Rhône.

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