Best Value
Rocca Vini Soave DOC
Veneto, Italy
$16.42per bottle
$197.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Food & wine pairing
Best wine with pesto pasta
Basil, garlic and pine nuts want herbal, crisp whites.
Fiano & Vermentino
Vermentino is the classic match for Ligurian pesto.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Gambit Gambetto Fiano 2024
Murray Darling, NSW
$16.58per bottle
$199.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Trentham The Family Vermentino 2025
Murray Darling, NSW
$17.17per bottle
$206.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Aylesbury Estate Q05 Arneis 2024
Ferguson Valley, WA
$23.83per bottle
$286.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Sauvignon Blanc
Herbal and zesty, it echoes the basil.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Best Value
The Anchorage Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2026
Clare Valley, SA
$10.67per bottle
$128.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Angove Long Row Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Riverland, SA
$11.17per bottle
$134.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Di Giorgio Frank White Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Chardonnay 2025
Coonawarra, SA
$14.50per bottle
$174.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Grüner Veltliner
Green and peppery, a great modern alternative.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Jules Taylor Gruner Veltliner 2025
Marlborough, New Zealand
$22.33per bottle
$268.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Stage Door Grüner Veltliner 2023
Eden Valley, SA
$24.00per bottle
$288.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Count Karoli Gruner Veltliner 2022
Hungary
$26.17per bottle
$157.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Longview Macclesfield Gruner Veltliner 2025
Adelaide Hills, SA
$28.50per bottle
$171.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Tip
Pesto is green and bright, so match it with a green, bright wine.
Best avoided
Oaky whites and big reds clash with fresh herbs and garlic.
About pesto pasta and wine
Today’s picks run from $7.94 to $28.50 a bottle, chosen for value from 371 matching wines across the Australian retailers we compare. Six-packs and dozens are shown as a price per bottle.
Questions
What wine goes best with pesto pasta?
Fiano & Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc and Grüner Veltliner are the best matches for pesto pasta. Vermentino is the classic match for Ligurian pesto.
What’s a good cheap wine with pesto pasta?
Winesmiths Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2000ml is the cheapest of today’s picks at $7.94 a bottle from Cellars. Prices are checked every 4 hours.
What wine should I avoid with pesto pasta?
Oaky whites and big reds clash with fresh herbs and garlic.
