BYO BASICS

BYO BASICS — Italian

In part three of our four-part series, Toast looks at the top BYO basics for Italian dining

Welcome to part three of our four-part series of Toast BYO Basics where we explore the best tipples and tricks to enhance your cheap and cheerful dining experience.

Fresh pasta, crusty bruschetta, soft focaccia, oozy cheese – the Italian cuisine is undeniably rich, simple and beautiful. But whether you’re opting for a sage butter smothered ravioli, a tomato and mozzarella laden bruschetta or a cheesy pizza, there is a wine out there that can enhance that glistening plate of gorgeous like never before. 

We’ve made life simple for you and taken all your BYO desires - cheap, easy and yummy – and broken our advice into two simple categories: yes and no. It is the basics, after all.

YES

- Lemony dishes such as zesty risotto or lemon-baked fish are a wonderful match with white wine such as sauvignon blanc. The acidity of the sauvignon blanc pairs nicely with notes of citrus and cuts through rich textures. 

- Red wines are a great match for red foods – tomato-based pastas, fresh tomato Caprese salads and red meats.

- Prosecco is a great drop to enjoy with a lighter entrée or nibbles – crunchy polenta chips, oozy arancini or cheese platters (drooling yet?) Keep the bubbles for starters only though – champagne and big meaty mains is best avoided.

- Garlic and butter is a beautiful, beautiful thing. But a dry, crisp white wine such as a pinot gris or sauvignon blanc can lift this dream duo like you wouldn’t believe.

- Chardonnay has a gentle richness to it which is a great match with gentle rich sauces such as Alfredo.

NO

- Champagne and rich, red meat main courses – it speaks for itself, really. Fizz, fat and meat can be all too much for one’s tummy. Bubbles = great for Italian entrées only.

So now that we're all in the know, check out our top tipples for Italian BYO:

Thornbury Sauvignon Blanc

SOHO White Collection Pinot Gris

Mud House Chardonnay

Mionetto Prestige Prosecco

Durvillea Pinot Noir

Matawhero Merlot

Make sure you check out our BYO basics for Thai and Indian too!

Our Picks