Fresh, creamy Italian whites like Lugana and Soave cut through butter and cream; plus the best red, chicken alfredo picks and what to avoid.
The best wine with fettuccine alfredo is a fresh but creamy Italian white such as Lugana, Soave Classico or Alto Adige Pinot Bianco.
Fettuccine alfredo is all butter, cheese and (in the American version) cream. That richness needs a wine with enough body to match it and enough acidity to clean your palate between bites. Below are the Italian wines that do both, plus answers to the questions people ask most about wine with alfredo.
The top pick is a Lugana from Lake Garda: creamy in texture, fresh and citrusy, with an almond finish that suits Parmigiano. A Franciacorta is the best alternative, because its bubbles and acidity cut through cream like nothing else. On a budget, choose a Soave Classico, which costs about $15–25 and works with both fettuccine and chicken alfredo.
Alfredo sauce is fat, salt and umami, with very little acidity of its own. A good match needs three things:
Nutty, almond-scented whites also echo the aged Parmigiano in the sauce.
Fettuccine alfredo was created in Rome in the early 1900s by restaurateur Alfredo Di Lelio. His version had no cream: just fresh fettuccine, butter and Parmigiano, tossed at the table. American visitors made it famous, and in the US the dish grew a cream sauce, garlic and, often, chicken. Today it is mostly an Italian-American dish. In Italy, the closest thing is pasta al burro e parmigiano, a simple home dish. The wine advice below works for both styles. With the lighter Roman version, lean toward the fresher wines.
Lugana DOC comes from the southern shore of Lake Garda. Its grape, Turbiana, gives a white with a round, almost creamy texture, but also bright citrus and a long almond finish. That combination is exactly what alfredo needs. Most bottles cost about $18–30.
Try: Lugana 'I Frati' Ca' dei Frati or Lugana 'Le Creete' Ottella.
Soave from the hills east of Verona is made mainly from Garganega. A good Soave Classico has almond, white flowers and a salty, mineral finish. It is fresh enough for cream and costs about $15–25. See the Soave DOC page for the styles.
Try: Soave Classico 'Vin Soave' Inama or Soave Classico Suavia.
Pinot Bianco from the mountain vineyards of Alto Adige is crisp, with apple, pear and a light creamy texture. It is a quiet wine that lets the sauce shine, which makes it a good match for chicken alfredo. Expect about $18–30.
Try: Pinot Bianco Alois Lageder or Pinot Bianco Elena Walch.
Franciacorta DOCG is Lombardy's traditional-method sparkling wine, made mainly from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. High acidity and fine bubbles scrub the palate clean after every forkful, and the toasty, bready notes from ageing on the lees suit a butter sauce. Non-vintage Brut costs about $30–45.
Try: Franciacorta Brut 61 Berlucchi or Franciacorta Brut Contadi Castaldi.
When the sauce is very rich, or you add chicken, mushrooms or pancetta, a fuller white works well. Italian Chardonnay from Alto Adige or the Langhe is usually fresher and less oaky than many New World versions. Choose a lightly oaked or unoaked bottle. Expect about $20–40.
Try: Chardonnay Cantina Terlano or Chardonnay 'L'Altro' Pio Cesare.
Barbera is the red to pick with alfredo. It has high acidity and soft tannins, so it cuts cream without turning bitter. A young, unoaked Barbera d'Asti costs about $15–30.
Try: Barbera d'Asti 'Montebruna' Braida or Barbera d'Asti 'Tre Vigne' Vietti.
White is the safer and usually better choice. Alfredo has no tomato or meat to stand up to tannin, and tannic reds such as Barolo, Cabernet or Aglianico taste harsh next to cream and cheese.
If you prefer red, choose one with high acidity and low tannin: Barbera, a light Pinot Nero from Alto Adige, or a chilled Frappato from Sicily. Serve it slightly cool, around 60°F (16°C).
Chicken adds protein but not much flavor, so the same wines work. A slightly fuller white is a good idea: Lugana, Italian Chardonnay or a Fiano di Avellino from Campania, which has a nutty, textured style. If the dish has mushrooms or bacon, a Barbera or Pinot Nero becomes a good option too.
Both. In Italy the sauce decides, not the pasta. Seafood and light vegetable sauces usually get a white. Tomato and meat sauces usually get a red. Butter and cheese sauces, like the Roman original of alfredo, usually get a white or a sparkling wine. Most Italians also simply drink the local wine. Our wine and pasta guide covers the main sauces one by one.
What wine goes best with fettuccine alfredo?
A fresh but full Italian white is best. Lugana, Soave Classico, Alto Adige Pinot Bianco and Franciacorta all have the acidity to cut the cream and the body to match it.
Does red or white wine go better with alfredo?
White usually goes better, because tannin in red wine clashes with cream and cheese. If you want a red, choose a low-tannin, high-acid one such as Barbera or Pinot Nero.
What is the best wine for chicken alfredo?
Lugana, a lightly oaked Italian Chardonnay or Fiano di Avellino. These whites are slightly fuller, which suits the added chicken.
Is fettuccine alfredo Italian?
It was created in Rome in the early 1900s by Alfredo Di Lelio, but his version had only butter and Parmigiano. The cream-based dish is an Italian-American version and is rarely found in Italy.
Is Pinot Grigio good with fettuccine alfredo?
A simple Pinot Grigio is often too light for a cream sauce. A fuller Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige or Friuli works better, but Lugana or Soave Classico are stronger matches.
What should I drink with alfredo if I don't drink alcohol?
Sparkling water with lemon is the classic choice. The bubbles and acidity do the same job as a crisp white wine.