alfredo & sausage

[missy35000]

Help! I was asked to make a dinner of pasta alfredo & sweet Italian sausage. I'm thinking Merlot but am not sure...I'm using Parmasean and Romano in the sauce. Any tips? (Looking to spend about $10)

[hotwine]

Welcome to the board, Missy. Ten bucks won't get you much anywhere but Costco. If you're a member there, look for an Italian red like Villa Rosso Barolo or Miliasso Barbaresco.

[stevebody]

To help the wine claw its way over the fat content in alfredo (which the NIH once compared to "just eating a stick of butter"), you'll need something with a solid acidity. Merlot, at least American Merlot, isn't usually the answer there. There's a reason why the Italians revere their Sangiovese: it's a flavorful red with crisp, assertive acids. If you don't take to varietal Sangiovese, try a "super-Tuscan", with some Cab or Merlot added for depth of flavor. A few good ones:

Small Vineyards' Sanguinetti "Nessun Dorma"
Cennatoio "Inominato"
Castel Pietraio "Tegrimo"
Renzo Masi "Erta e China"
Monte Antico
Villa Puccini

Non-Tuscans that'll work:

Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Rosso
Solo Marrema "Micante"
Petra "Zingari"
Seghesio "Bouquet"

If you can't find any of those, fall back on the Pinot. Won't be the same but you'll taste it, at least.

[missy35000]

Excellent! Thanks so much!!

[Innkeeper]

For a nice $10 Chianti look for Cecchi Chianti Classico. If it goes over $10 in your neck of the woods, drop the Classico and just go with Cecchi Chianti. For even less they put out a very nice Rosso de Tuscano. IMHO these are the best values in that genre.