Food & Wine Pairing

Rosé wine & Spaghetti alle Vongole

(Updated on: Feb 04, 2024)
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In the last few years rosé wine has gained popularity and is now a favorite choice, especially in summer or spring. Who would not enjoy a chilled rosé wine in the sun? We are going to share with you some key facts about rosé wines and what to look for when pairing rosé wine. Followed by a delicious recipe idea to pair your favorite rosé wine with.

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5 Key Facts about Rosé Wine

  • There are 4 different ways to make rosé wine.
  • It is also known as “Rosado” in Spanish or “Rosato” in Italian
  • Available in still, sparkling and semi-sparkling
  • Unlike red wine, rosé wine is not meant to be “aged”.
  • Nearly every red wine grape can be used for rosé wine

How to pair it?

Similar to red and white wines, rosé wine comes in different ranges from light dry rosés from the Provence to full-bodied fruity rosés made from Syrah and Cabernet grapes. This variety makes rosé wine the perfect match of a variety of foods.

In general, there are 4 things to consider when pairing wine with food:

  • Character of the grape
  • Acidity
  • Intensity
  • Structure

Matching these wine characteristics with the food ones, is one of the easiest ways to pair food, with the greatest success.

For example, a light rosé works perfectly with a light salad, seafood and light pasta dishes. Whereas a full-bodied fruity rosé perfectly matches a heavier cuisine, like barbeque or spicy food.

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Rosé wine & Spaghetti alle Vongole

The perfect duo for summer. A lovely idea for a summer dinner party or if you want to impress on a date night. Try this beautiful aromatic dish with a light and dry rosé to get a beautiful food pairing. 
The light rosé wine complements the light pasta dish, and thanks to its low sweetness it does not overpower the food and gives it a nice balance.

Ingredients:

  • 350 g spaghetti
  • 6 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 white onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
  • 125 ml of Italian dry white wine
  • 1 kg fresh clams
  • salt and pepper

​​​​​​​Preparation:

Clean the clams thoroughly under running water or soak them immediately for about 2 hours.
Heat a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, while cooking the other ingredients.

Heat 5 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan with high sides. Gently sauté the onion, garlic and parsley in it. At the same time, in a separate saucepan, heat the remaining oil and add the mussels, turning well. Add the wine, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

Strain the liquid through a sieve into your other pan. Bring to a boil briefly, season to taste and add the opened mussels, discarding any closed mussels. Toss everything well, add the al dente spaghetti, and toss again until well coated. Reserved pasta water can be added incrementally for additional liquid if required.

Serve the pasta in 4 bowls without cheese, reserving another bowl for the empty shells. Do not forget to open a crisp and light bottle of rosé wine to enjoy your wine pairing!