Italian sausage is a flavorful meat that can be a delicious addition to pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, and more. But what wine should you drink with it? The key is finding a wine that complements the rich, meaty flavors of the sausage In this article, we’ll explore the best wine pairings for Italian sausage so you can take your meals to the next level.
Italian sausage typically contains ground pork mixed with salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, and sometimes other seasonings like garlic, anise, and red pepper flakes. This gives the sausage a distinctive savory, mildly spicy, and slightly sweet flavor profile.
There are two main types of Italian sausage
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Sweet Italian sausage – Contains fennel seeds and usually no heat. It has a mild, sweet taste.
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Hot Italian sausage – Contains red pepper flakes or other spices to give it some heat and a spicier flavor.
Both varieties work well in pasta sauces, pizzas, antipasto platters, sandwiches, and more. The key to picking the right wine is considering the flavor intensity of the sausage you’re using.
Best Wines to Pair With Mild or Sweet Italian Sausage
If you’re cooking with a mild or sweet Italian sausage that doesn’t have too much heat, these wines make excellent pairings:
Chianti
This medium-bodied red wine from Tuscany is a classic pairing with Italian sausage. Chianti has tart cherry and herb flavors along with mouth-drying tannins. This helps cut through the rich fattiness of the sausage. Focus on a Chianti Classico Riserva for the most complexity.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
With flavors of ripe cherry, earth, and spice, this affordable Italian red has enough weight and tannins to stand up to sweet sausage. Its fruitiness balances the fennel and richness.
Barbera
Known for its bright acidity and juicy cherry fruit, Barbera is a great match for milder sausage. Its zingy acid provides contrast. Look for a Barbera d’Alba or Barbera d’Asti.
Valpolicella
This light-bodied Italian red offers tart cherry flavors along with a hint of almond. It has enough acidity to cut through the richness of the sausage but without being too heavy.
Pinot Noir
The bright red fruit flavors and medium body of Pinot Noir work nicely with mild Italian sausage. The wine’s acidity balances out the meat’s richness. Opt for a Pinot from Oregon or California.
Zinfandel
With bolder jammy fruit and a touch of spice, Zinfandel can handle the seasoning of mild Italian sausage. It also has enough weight to match the sausage’s texture. Look for a Zin from California.
Best Wines for Spicy or Hot Italian Sausage
If you’re cooking with spicier, more intensely-flavored Italian sausage, these fuller-bodied red wines make ideal pairings:
Chianti Classico Riserva
The extra aging this Tuscan red receives gives it more concentrated flavors of cherry, leather, and herbs to stand up to spicy sausage. It has the tannins needed to complement the meat.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
This budget-friendly Italian red has enough bold dark fruit flavors, spice, and tannic grip to pair with spicier sausages. Its affordability makes it perfect for weeknight meals.
Nero d’Avola
This Sicilian red offers aromas of black cherry, plum, and pepper. Its medium body and smooth tannins allow the wine to handle spicy sausage with ease.
Malbec
Argentinian Malbec has a dark fruit and robust smoky profile that works with spicy meats like chorizo-spiced sausage. Its silky texture helps mellow the heat.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The blackcurrant and herbal flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon stand up well to intensely flavored sausages. The tannins help cut through the fat and richness. Choose a Cabernet from California or Washington State.
Syrah
With its notes of blackberry, smoked meat, and white pepper, Syrah is right at home with spicy sausage. Its lush texture and ripe tannins complement the meat nicely. Look for a Syrah from the Rhone Valley or Australia.
Tips for Serving Wine with Italian Sausage
Here are some useful tips to ensure your Italian sausage and wine pairings are as delicious as can be:
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For pasta dishes with sausage, opt for lighter red wines like Pinot Noir or Valpolicella so the pasta remains the star.
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Chill red wines slightly to around 60-65°F to make them more refreshing alongside rich sausage.
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Try sausages with a mix of red and green bell peppers, onions, broccoli rabe or other bold veggies. This calls for a hearty red like Montepulciano.
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For sausage-topped pizza, Barbera, Chianti, or even a dry Lambrusco red pairs nicely with the tomato sauce and cheese.
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Salty pecorino cheese mellows tannins in wine and complements sausage. Add it to charcuterie boards.
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Spice up sandwiches with giardiniera or pepperoncini and serve with a Zinfandel or Malbec.
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Acidic wines like Chianti Classico Riserva help cut through fat and amplify herb flavors.
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Sweeter wines like a moscato pair well with dessert sausage dishes and fried sausage bites.
The next time you’re cooking with Italian sausage, use this guide to select the perfect wine match. Pay attention to the sausage’s spice level and flavors, then choose a wine that balances and complements. With so many delicious options, you’re sure to find a pairing that excites your palate. Salute!
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General Sausage-Pairing Tips
“The biggest misconception is the idea that sausages should be paired with red wine or that people should just opt for beer. Alsatian or German riesling works almost all the time with nearly all sausage dishes. Rich, high acid, flavorful white wines like those from the Burgundy or its more affordable neighbor, the Jura, are outstanding options as well. If you want red wine, I would stick with something light in body with high acid and just a hint of tannin. The Jura comes to mind, with their great Trousseaus and Poulsards, but you could also go for a nice juicy Beaujolais or a lovely light bodied Loire Valley red. At the end of the day, the sausage is likely only one component of the dish, and I would always consider all ingredients before settling on a pairing.”—Jess Hereth (Olympia Provisions)
“Gruner Veltliner, Chablis, or a dry Riesling are all great pairings with brats, dogs, and spicy sausages—even if theyre loaded with mustard, peppers, and onions. With crisp citrus and mineral flavors backed with acidity, each will do a great job of elevating the meaty, savory flavors in your bun without conflicting with the vinegar in spicy mustard. Even an off-dry Riesling would be a great fit giving a nice tug-and-pull to the sweet, savory and sour flavors. If you must have a red, go with those that have ample fruit and loads of acid, like Pinot Noir or Gamay Noir.”—Ian Becker (Absinthe Group)
“The no-brainer pairing for sausages is, of course, riesling. Picture yourself at an Heuriger, a sort of Austrian wine tavern where you might have someone in the corner playing a zither, eating sausages and crushing crisp, dry Riesling by the liter, and youll be feeling the gemütlickeit. It doesnt have to be bone dry, or even Austrian, but the ever present acidity is whats going to enliven even a ballpark dog. For a red, I always like a good Cru Beaujolais, e.g. Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, etc., in this situation, with just enough juicy red fruit. Both assume you dont want the simplest solution, though: beer.”—Chad Walsh (The Dutch)
“You are right to be saying beer is the best thing with sausages…it is…but when you are in the mood for wine, Id head to the big reds, such as softer style Zinfandel. There is a chance you could go with a more mild wine, but in this instance I would say make the wine fun and let the food have the complexity.”—Paul Einbund (Frances and Seam Wines)
Getting Specific: Bratwurst With Mustard and Sauerkraut
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“It’s all about the sides. As long as the wine and sauce go well together, everything else should be fine!”
When it comes to food, the sauces and condiments are very important. If the wine and sauce go well together, everything else should work out fine. For the brats, I think the classic pairing of Alsace Riesling is perfect. The sweet fruit balances out the sour sauerkraut and the spicy mustard. These are also white wines with enough body and texture to handle the sausage (the Grand Cru bottlings from Dirler-Cadé are really magical). “—Mia Van De Water (North End Grill).
“Pick a wine with a nice level of acidity. When making brats with mustard and beer, I like to pair them with a dry Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna, such as Ca Montanari Opera Secco. Fruit that is ripe and bright goes well with sauerkraut. The fruit is also not too heavy or in the way. “—Daniel Beedle (Juni).
“For brats cooked in beer with mustard and sauerkraut, youre going to want something that doesnt conflict with the sauerkraut but that has enough acidity to stand up to it. You are also going to want something that counteracts some of the spice from the mustard. I would go for a wine with a hint of residual sugar. Riesling or Pinot Gris (something Alsatian, like Albert Boxler) is going to be a shoe-in, but something effervescent like a sparkling Vouvray demi-sec, or even a Bugey-Cerdon (Patrick Bottexs is my favorite) would be great, too.”—Jordan Salcito (Momofuku)
“Pairing wine with sausage is the easy part; its all the condiments that can throw you for a loop. With sauerkraut, Id stick to the obvious: savory, snappy Gruner Veltliner from Austria, or a leaner, fresher style of dry Riesling from somewhere like the Pfalz. The tartness of sauerkraut makes pairing a red more challenging, so stick with an inexpensive crisp white.”—Grant Reynolds (Charlie Bird)
For bratwurst with mustard, look to Poulsard, one of the Juras unique red grapes. It produces a light-bodied red with notes of black cherry and strawberry. The grape doesnt have much pigment, so it looks more like a rosé than a big, extracted red wine. This wine will let the food take the center stage while the persistent acidity will ready you for the next bite.”—Ryan Arnold (Lettuce Entertain You)
“When I think of brats with mustard and sauerkraut, I think of Oregon Riesling. Memorista Riesling by Ovum Wines is my new favorite out of the Willamette Valley and it is a dead ringer for a dry Riesling out of the Mosel Valley. Its got that perfect harmony of mineral, lemon, smoke and salt that screams for a rich sausage and its got the acidity to deal with the sauerkraut and mustard.”—Brent Braun (Levant)
When I eat brats, I like to drink an Austrian Gruner Veltliner that is heavy on the fruit. It should have smoky, white pepper notes along with rich stone fruit. Heidler Thal Vineyard Kamptal, Austria 2012 is a good example. “—Mark Mendoza (Coi).
Wine Pairing with Italian Sausage
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