Italian wine with red meat

Wine aficionados' advise beginners to stick with two rules. Only drink red wine with red meat dishes or in the winter.

For example, if you're confused about what to buy for a pancetta risotto dish, then it's best to stick to a quality Chianti such as the Chianti Rufina . With a full body and an abundance of characters in the flavour, this is a red wine with plenty of acidity and tannin. To accompany a recipe with prosciutto, try a 1996/1997 Baralo. The fruity red compliments the meat.