# Wine pairings with pesto
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** wine
**Created:** [October 2, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976 "2006-10-02T14:57:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/1 "2006-10-02T14:57:53Z")
I’m doing a radio cooking show tomorrow night (Tuesday, 10/3, 7PM eastern, [stream it here!](http://www.appalshop.org/wmmt)) where I’m doing some Italian home cooking.
One of my dishes is pesto, and I wanted to talk about wine pairing with it. I have always paired it with a Sauvingon Blanc, to match the herb flavors, but I’ve seen recommendations that range as far as Zinfandel.
Any thoughts from the winos around here?
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/2 "2006-10-02T15:22:36Z")
You can put me down for Zinfandel, but I’ve been known to buy it in a box.
🙂
BTW got a recipe for artichoke lemon pesto?
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### Author:  [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/3 "2006-10-02T15:23:56Z")
friend dr j,
i drink zinfandel at any given opportunity. it is one of my favorites. that being said, i would have no quarrel with your choice with pesto. i would be interested to try some of the spanish reds with it.
btw: stop by and see us at the parlor. we miss your posts
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### Author:  [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/4 "2006-10-02T15:55:15Z")
How about Pinot Grigio? Doesn’t have herby notes, but good balance for the oil and richness.
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### Author:  [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/5 "2006-10-02T15:58:01Z")
> [@hawthorne](#):
>
> How about Pinot Grigio? Doesn’t have herby notes, but good balance for the oil and richness.
I’d second that, although Pinot Grigio can be a bit bland if you’re not careful.
I also like Orvieto with Pesto - similar to Pinot Grigio in style.
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### Author:  [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/6 "2006-10-02T16:03:54Z")
A nice midrange Soave can be chock full of herb flavored goodness, especially if they blend a bit of chardonnay in with it. Don’t get the cheap stuff however, it’s usually as bland as tap water.
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/7 "2006-10-02T16:31:20Z")
I have a Primitivo (the Italian Zinfandel) that I’m going to take, so I guess I’m looking for a white more than anything. I’ve always found Pinot Grigio pretty dull, but I’ve had some Pinot Gris that was pretty good.
The menu is proscuitto e melone, penne with marinara and with pesto, and espresso panna cotta.
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### Author:  [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/8 "2006-10-03T08:23:42Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#):
>
> A nice midrange Soave can be chock full of herb flavored goodness, especially if they blend a bit of chardonnay in with it. Don’t get the cheap stuff however, it’s usually as bland as tap water.
I was knocking back some lovely Soave in Italy this summer… had a bit more nose than a lot of the stuff I’ve had in the UK
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### Author:  [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/9 "2006-10-03T12:52:31Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#):
>
> I’ve always found Pinot Grigio pretty dull, but I’ve had some Pinot Gris that was pretty good.
Same stuff, different name. Same grape, anyway.
- Tamerlane
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/10 "2006-10-03T14:04:14Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#):
>
> I’ve always found Pinot Grigio pretty dull…
Try the Estancia on shelves now, I think an '03 or '04. It’s the most flavorful I’ve come across and I imagine it’d be very complimentary with a pesto.
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/11 "2006-10-03T16:50:36Z")
Primitivo is probably the best choice of all, though if you want a different white I think you could probably also go with a dry or off-dry gewurztraminer (or really any Alsace white). Gewurztraminer was originally an Italian wine, so it can still fit the Italian theme. You could also do a dry sparkling white. Some varieties of Chardonnay would be all right too, but there’s so many of those out there it’d be easy to pick wrong.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/12 "2006-10-03T17:57:14Z")
I was first introduced to home-made pesto by a very nice lady who served it with a chenin blanc that was kind of sweet, but not heavy.
I have no idea whether any of us knew what we were doing, but we all enjoyed it immensely.
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### Author:  [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wine-pairings-with-pesto/374976/13 "2006-10-03T20:44:49Z")
I like a nice dry rose (NOT a sweet rose like White Zinfandel) with pesto. There are some good, inexpensive dry roses from southern France.