An Astute Sense of Flavors
Chicken Parmesan is a staple Italian dish. You can think of it as a pizza that is baked using chicken breasts as a base rather than dough. Chicken Parmesan is made with breaded chicken breasts baked with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, although you can use Mozzarella or Provolone, too. Sometimes bacon is added to the sauce or used as a topping to add more layers to the dish. As Chicken Parmesan can be a pretty heavy meal, it is best enjoyed with a beverage.
And red wines would be a great choice because they’re usually full-bodied and have strong earthy notes. This adds another layer to the rich tomato sauce and cheese, resulting in a more exotic flavor. Finding the right wine to pair with specific dishes like Chicken Parmesan can be challenging. It requires an astute sense of flavors to pick up on all the tasting notes and find the perfect Chicken Parmesan wine pairing.
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(4.6 / 5) What Wines Pair Well With Chicken Parmesan?
Wine pairing is often thought of as complicated because of the sheer number of nuances that different wines have, even when they’re made from the same grape. But once you understand the fundamental elements of wine, it’s actually not that complicated. Wine pairing is largely based on factors like acidity and sweetness because those are the flavors you immediately experience, rather than the finishing notes. You most likely will not be able to get the mineral after notes of a wine once you have a mouthful of delicious buttery parmesan.
Aromatic notes, on the other hand, are more relevant here. A wine’s nose should harmonize with the smell of the dish while adding a fruity splash. One of the purposes wine serves as an accompaniment to fine dining is the diversity of scent it brings to the table and how that improves a dish. With a creamy dish like Chicken Parmesan, you want to pick a wine that’s full-bodied, has strong earthy or smoky flavors, and has medium-long tannins. Sweet and overly fruity wines are a poor choice, which means you can rule out a majority of the white wines. Typically, red wines are the best pairing for Chicken Parmesan, although there are some exceptions. Let’s take a look at the 5 best wines that you can pair with this dish.
Best White Wines With Chicken Parmesan
Bisci Verdicchio di Matelica Vigneto Fogliano
- Winery — Bisci
- Country/Region — Italy, Marche, Verdicchio di Matelica
- Type — Central Italy White
- Aroma — Citrus, Ripe Melon, Floral Notes
- Grapes — Verdicchio
- Taste — Pear, Melon, Peach, Honey
- Alcohol Content — 13.5%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Chicken Parmesan, Pasta, Nachos With Refried Beans
It’s no surprise that the best wines that complement this Italian classic are also Italian. Bisci’s white is made from 100% Verdicchio grapes and is distinguished by its remarkable structure and the longevity of its finish. It is straw yellow in color, and the nose recalls intense floral notes along with aromas of chlorophyll, fresh fruit, and citrus fruits. The tasting notes are ripe melon punctuated with floral notes, a smooth finish, and soft silky mouthfeel.
Bisci’s Verdicchio vineyards are located in the eastern Italian region of Marche between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountain range. The area receives plenty of sunlight but is often overcast, thus filtering the sun’s rays. This, however, allows grapes to ripen more intensely. And with the advantage of Mediterranean soils, the flavors that emerge gain complexity. Each grape undergoes a meticulous screening before being picked for the next vintage.
Vie di Romans Chardonnay
- Winery — Vie Di Romans
- Country/Region — Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo
- Type — Italian Chardonnay
- Aroma — Honey, Peach, Melon, Vanilla
- Grapes — Chardonnay
- Taste — Herbal Notes, Citrus, Smoke, Peach, Gooseberry
- Alcohol Content — 14.4%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Chicken Parmesan, Cured Meat, Lean Fish
Vie di Romans Chardonnay is an award-winning Italian vintage known for its mature orchard fruit aromas with candied citrus, vanilla, and a hint of toasted oak. The palate offers ripe golden apple, vanilla, pineapple, and toasted coconut with stony mineral notes that lend depth to the wine. The smoky flavors are gently integrated and offer mild bitterness but with complexity. It has a soft-silky finish with a sweet aftertaste that complements cheese really well.
The full-bodied nature of the wine makes it perfect for dishes with rich textures, including Chicken Parmesan, and vibrant sauces. It’s arguably the second best white wine with Chicken Parmesan. Vie Di Romans Chardonnay is a northern Italian style wine produced by Vie Di Romans winery. The regions in Northern Italy set the bar for winemaking throughout the world, with France being its only close rival. Italy’s winemaking history goes back over 2000 years.
Friuli is where Italian winemaking styles meet Slavic and Germanic cultures. Flat valleys with nutrient-dense and unique soil profile sprawl throughout the wine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and are known for producing vibrant reds along with some exceptional whites. The best wineries are usually located around the hillside, which is also where the Chardonnay is made. The warm sunny days followed by chilly nights allow grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. The Mediterranean climate offers an advantage for complex wines that’s very hard to compete with.
Best Red Wines with Chicken Parmesan
Vallone di Cecione Chianti Classico
- Winery — Vallone Di Cecione
- Country/Region — Italy, Toscana, Chianti
- Type — Italian Chianti
- Aroma — Dark Fruit, Jam, Plum, Spices
- Grapes — Sangiovese
- Taste — Tobacco, Oak, Blackberry, Licorice, Rosemary
- Alcohol Content — 14%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Chicken Parmesan, Meat Pasta, Heavier Cheeses
Vallone di Cecione Chianti Classico is an award-winning Italian Chianti and is counted among the top 3% wines in the world. It is the best red wine with Chicken Parmesan. Vallone Di Cecione are biodynamic producers, so the flavors of the grape are entirely at the Toscana region’s mercy. It has a vibrant dark fruit aroma, reminiscent of jam, and complex spice notes that break out when you swirl it in the glass. The palate offers strong spicy flavors of cigar tobacco, and sweet fruit notes that can develop the taste of Chicken parmesan really well.
Vallone Di Cecione has been in the winemaking business for over a hundred years and is run by generations of the Anichini family. The Chianti is cultivated in the valley of Cecione and Conca d’Oro Panzano soil that’s been charged with infusions of nettle, propolis, and various herbs to enhance the grape flavor. This explains its strong earthiness and spice notes. Integrating modern techniques with winemaking traditions, the winery strives to create organic and elegant wines.
G.D. Vajra Barbera d’Alba
- Winery — G.D. Vajra
- Country/Region — Italy, Piemonte, Barbera d’Alba
- Type — Italian Barbera
- Aroma — Incense, Plum, Licorice, Cocoa Beans
- Grapes — Barbera
- Taste — Cherry, Black Fruits, Leather, Smoke
- Alcohol Content — 15%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Chicken Parmesan, Veal, Pasta, Game Meats
Barberas are a tough, survivalist grape that can thrive in any region. When provided with the superior soil of Italy’s wine regions and the advantage of the Mediterranean climate, the possibilities are endless. The Barbera d’Alba by G.D. Vajra is the perfect example of a wine that integrates every single element of the terroir it has been planted in. Barbera wines are typically bright violet in color, indicating the presence of black fruits. The aroma boasts a variety of earthy and smoky notes like incense and tobacco, punctuated with red fruits and cocoa.
It is a fruit-forward wine and is quite sweet, with tasting notes of black fruits, jam, toast, and a persistent earthy mouthfeel. It has a soft velvety finish with medium tannins. Located in Vergne at an altitude of approximately 400 meters, G.D. Vajras Vineyards have been in existence since the 1970s. The elevated growing conditions result in the grapes maturing late but grant them bold, elegant flavors. The calcareous marl-rich soil infuses earthy aromatics into the sweet red grapes. The result is a velvety Italian red with the appropriate tannins and a balance between red fruits and earthy tasting notes.
Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva
- Winery — Masciarelli Marina
- Country/Region — Italy, Abruzzo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
- Type — Italian Red
- Aroma — Red Fruits, Spice, Black Fruits
- Grapes — Montepulciano
- Taste — Cherry, Oak, Tobacco, Leather, Cocoa Minerals
- Alcohol Content — 14.5%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Chicken Parmesan, Beef, Pork
Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva is a full-bodied deep violet-red wine sourced from the Abruzzo winemaking region of Southern Italy. It’s made from 100% Montepulciano and incorporates powerful spice notes with well-rounded tannins and a long, silky finish. The aroma is reminiscent of cloves, baking spices, and grilled herbs merged with dark fruits and cherries.
On the palate, you get cherry, tobacco, leather, and cocoa. It also has a tangy acidity that adds some character to the dish it’s paired with or used in for cooking. Mascriarelli’s vineyards are located 30 miles from the Adriatic Sea. The region experiences sunny days, cool nights, and gusts of breeze. The region’s unique clay and lime-rich soils are what make their wines complex. Montepulciano takes some time in the bottle to fully mature, but when it does, the result is a powerful ripe flavor wrapped in an elegant structure that’s lush and gives off seductive aromas.
Conclusion
Harmonizing food, accompaniments, and wine can help you reach the peak of culinary expertise. With this list, you can find the perfect Chicken Parmesan wine match, and let your attention to detail and the symphony of flavors do the talking while you sit back and enjoy a pleasant evening with your guests.
