Pasta Pairings

• Chianti famously pairs well with the red sauces used in Italian cuisine, making it a perennially safe choice for a wide variety of Italian pastas and other dishes, including spaghetti, stuffed shells, meat lasagna and penne alla vodka. Avoid Chianti, however, if you have a particularly acidic, tomato-heavy pasta dish to avoid a flavor clash. Outside of red sauces, sangiovese also works with creamy pastas such as frascatelli because its herbal qualities blend with the pasta's peppery seasonings.

Meat Mates

• The rich black cherry and plum flavor of sangiovese wines lends itself to a selection of red meat pairings, particularly game meats. In addition to wild game, sangiovese goes with savory lamb dishes, such as vinaigrette lamp chops and seasoned lamb kebabs. Rich, rare rib-eye, spicy ham and veal also bring out the herbal qualities of sangiovese. Sangiovese also provides light, aromatic flavors such as cinnamon, blueberry and even violet, which makes this versatile wine a successful partner of a select few chicken dishes, such as chicken parmigiana and chicken with cream sauce.

Soups and Sides

• In warm weather, the smooth texture of sangiovese couples with richly flavored soups, including curried pumpkin soup -- which flatters both the herbal and fruity qualities of the wine -- and classic Italian minestrone. If you're serving a sangiovese wine and cheese platter, stick with cheeses such as fontina, kasseri, Parmesan, Asiago or mozzarella.

More Complementary Flavors

• The sweet notes of sangiovese grapes create an interesting contrast with salty flavors such as garlic, capers and olives, while their tartness accents lemon flavors nicely. Pair sangiovese with grilled veggies, especially those seasoned with olive oil and herbs, to explore a lighter side of the wine. Pizza with red sauce is a tried-and-true partner for sangiovese. Particularly pleasing pizza toppings include clams, chicken, bacon, anchovies, sausage, pepper and onions.