Chianti is produced from red grapes from the Tuscany region.
Mussels marinara is a quick and easy dish, but can be the center of an elegant meal, especially when served with crusty bread and the right wine. Because marinara sauce is tomato-based, its rich, tangy flavor pairs well with a wine with low to medium acidity that doesn't clash with the food but creates an interplay of tastes.
Chianti
Chianti goes well with highly-seasoned dishes like mussels marinara. This strong, bold red wine from the Tuscany region of Italy traditionally comes in a bottle that is encased in a straw flask and used as a candle holder once empty. Today, it is more likely to be in a standard glass bottle, and has acquired a more elegant image. To merit its name, Chianti must be made from at least 80 percent Sangiovese grapes, which are blended with locally-grown white or red grapes. While the Chianti region contains seven zones, the Classico and Rufina zones produce the most popular wine.
Schiava
Schiava red wines are low in acidity and tannins, making them a good accompaniment to a dish with a marinara sauce. Also called Trollinger, this wine has a bright, fruity flavor and is made from a late-maturing grape. Although Schiava wines were originally made from grapes grown in the South Tyrol and Trentino regions of Italy, they are now produced almost exclusively in the Wurttemberg region of Germany. Schiava wines are similar to Pinot Noirs, and have a sharp, crisp taste similar to Beaujolais.
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio goes well with seafood dishes, and can hold its own against the rich flavors and highly-seasoned sauce of mussels marinara. In Italy and California, this wine is called Pinot Grigio; in France and Oregon, it's known as Pinot Gris. The grape is a white mutation of the red Pinot Noir grape. Pinot Grigio wines have a dry, light, mineral taste.
Arneis
Arneis, translated as "little rascal," goes well with seafood dishes like mussels marinara. Made from a white grape native to the Piedmont region of Italy, this wine is dry and aromatic. It has a pale golden color, a peach, pear or apricot scent and a floral quality. It is a "transition" wine, best enjoyed during late summer and early autumn. The Arneis grape is one of Italy's oldest.
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