Pasta is a blank-canvas meal. It gets all its flavor from its sauces — hearty red meat sauces, silky cream sauces, simple garlic and oil — and tasty mix-ins — grilled chicken, broiled fish, and steaming veggies, to name a few. Pasta's flavor adaptability makes it a universally loved dish, but it makes pairing it with the perfect glass of wine a bit of a challenge. The flavors you mix with your plate of spaghetti (or rigatoni, or penne) will determine which wine should go in your glass — red or white, dry or sweet.Luckily, you don't have to be a sommelier to pick the perfect wine for your pasta feast. Stick to these delicious pairings compiled by the experts at Food & Wine magazine.Recipe: Fusilli with Summer Tomato SauceWine pairing: Dolcetto: 2007 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di DoglianiThis medium-bodied, slightly tangy Italian wine is excellent with acidic tomato sauce.Recipe: Spaghetti with Parsley Almond PestoWine pairing: Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige: 2007 Brigl Sielo BluA simple, lively white will cut through the pesto's richness and complement its herbal and nutty flavors.

Recipe: Fettuccine Alfredo with AsparagusWine pairing: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: 2008 Cupcake VineyardsA forcefully acidic white wine will balance this sauce's considerable richness. Plus, Sauvignon Blanc's grassy, green flavors go well with asparagus (which makes many wines taste unpleasantly vegetal).Recipe: Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Basil, Olives, and Fresh MozzarellaWine pairing: Valpolicella: 2007 AllegriniThis uncooked tomato-and-herb based sauce demands a red that won't quash its light, zippy flavors. Cherry-scented Valpolicella, with its lively acidity, fits the bill.Recipe: Perciatelli with Meat Sauce and FontinaWine pairing: Rich Sangiovese-based wine, like a Rosso di Montalcino: 2006 Il PoggioneThe sauce's cooked tomatoes suggest a red with some zing, and the meat demands one with some heft. A Sangiovese — one that leans toward the richer end of the scale — is a good choice.Recipe: Supersize Meatballs in Marinara SauceWine pairing: Brunello di Montalcino: 2005 Terra RossaBrunello, a Tuscan wine made from Sangiovese, has both the acidity to match the tangy tomato sauce and the richness to complement the veal, pork, and beef meatballs.

Recipe: Linguine with Shrimp and Creamy Roasted TomatoesWine pairing: Pinot Gris: 2007 RoxyAnnWith its creamy texture and lively, citrusy flavors, Pinot Gris can accommodate both rich cream sauces and delicate seafood.best online wine store in europeRecipe: Tortellini with Ham, Peas, and Tomato Cream SauceWine pairing: Valpolicella Classico: 2007 AllegriniA light, fruity, and very crisp Italian red will cut the sauce's creaminess and refresh the palate.best tasting cheap sweet wineRecipe: Lasagna with Mushrooms and Lamb SausageWine pairing: Barolo: 2005 MassolinoBarolo is a classic match for mushrooms and will also pair well with the lamb sausage.best value wine brandsRecipe: Penne Rigate with Spicy Braised SwordfishWine pairing: Fruity Sicilian rosé: 2008 PlanetaReds often clash with fish, but a rosé will pair nicely. a cheap dry red wine

A chilled, fruity wine is a good choice for a spicy dish.best wine to buy for dinnerRecipe: Fusilli with Roasted Eggplant and Goat CheeseWine pairing: Ribolla Gialla: 2007 DorigoThis Friulian white has a a crisp floral character that works well with the dish's tangy goat cheese.best bottle of red wine for 50Wine pairing: Chianti Classico: 2006 Antinori PèppoliChianti Classico is a classic partner for tomato sauces, plus it has the richness to stand up to this cheesy baked pasta.Recipe: Spaghetti with Chicken and Thai Peanut SauceWine pairing: Kabinett Riesling: 2007 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger WürzgartenA little bit of sweetness in the wine will balance the Asian spices here.Recipe: Whole Wheat Rigatoni with Roasted VegetablesWine pairing: Pinot Noir: 2007 Wild Earth Central OtagoThis dish's tangy olives, bright tomatoes, and rustic whole wheat pasta make it a great match with a fragrant, earthy Pinot Noir.Discover where good living meets good eating: Enter the Bertolli Mediterranean Race Sweepstakes.

I’ve always wanted to explain that warm, flushed feeling I get when I’ve had a glass or two of red. Sure, it’s the alcohol, but it’s different to the disorientated sensation I get when I’ve guzzled similar amounts of gin and tonics or beer. The answer is simple. Red wine increases sexual arousal in both men and women. Yes, the same stuff that can prevent us from becoming obese, lowers our risk of diabetes, prevents memory loss, helps battle depression and is good for our hearts, we now find out also turns us on. We have a group of Italian researchers to thank for kick-starting research into red wine and sex, back in 2009. So, faced with some of the best news in recent history, you’ll excuse me for not writing about ‘wines with naughty names for Valentine’s Day’, or ‘the best wines to match to Barry White’. We have bigger fish to fry. Without getting too bogged down in science, according to the research, red wine actually has compounds that stimulate our erogenous zones.

Drinking two glasses a day gives women a higher sex drive, and in men, seems to increase testosterone in the blood. A compound in red wine called Quercetin blocks the UGT2B17 enzyme, used by the male body to flush out testosterone, increasing our craving for ‘sexy time’. Let’s not get carried away though, this only applies to the first couple of glasses. It goes swiftly downhill from there. So, which are the best wines for the job? Wines that arouse women Allegedly women are aroused by musky, earthy, woody, licoricey, and cherry aromas. If that sounds like your bag, look no further than Italian Chianti Classico, a wine that packs some serious sweet black cherry and earthy truffle notes. Also on the ‘to drink list’ should be Zinfandel, a high-octane grape with turbo-charged flavours of plums, liquorice and black pepper. Lot 09 Toscana 2014 (£9.99, Aldi.co.uk) to flex its full-bodied cherry and truffle muscles Lot 09 Toscana 2014 ) delivers succulent strawberry, praline and liquorice flavours straight to your tastebuds.