Wine pairings for Paccheri con le Cozze e Fagioli
Bianco: Tercic Sauvignon Blanc, Marjan Simcic Sauvignonasse
Rosato: Muri Greis Lagrein Rosato, Maculan Merlot Costadolio
This dish is super flexible thanks to its neutrality. It accommodates almost any wine you want to drink with the exception of sweet wines. The salt water-influenced taste of the mussels means this dish works best with bone dry wines rather than fruit-driven wines. The beans, garlic and onion back up this flavor profile.
Mussels can be tough to pair with shellfish, so a wine that is either neutral or that has a moderately expressive personality will work best. Sauvignon Blanc provides an excellent solution. It’s also a great wine to cook with! The Sauvignon Blancs here have texture and broad palates, so they work well with the pasta’s dense chewinessness.
Reds are a hazard with this pasta. They clash with shellfish in a cataclysmic fashion. So if you want a red-ish wine with some heft, go with a big rosato instead. A decent rule of thumb is to go with a wine with a darker, deeper pink color. While color doesn’t always mean more heft, it often does. Whether it is Largrein, Merlot or any of the other possible Italian varieties, you’ll have enough acidic lift for this pasta backed up by good weight on the palate.
Check out our recipe for Paccheri con le Cozze e Fagioli.
Cin cin!
Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine (MW)
Wine Editor
@canterburywine
