Meat cooked in the form of ragout or sauce has a strong, intense taste and brings with it sensations of oiliness and succulence that go well with red wines. In first courses, however, these sensations are diminished by the presence of cereals: pasta, rice or polenta. So, the wine to be paired with a meat-based first course will be medium-structured reds, with a fair amount of tannin and alcohol, not aged. Of course, the kind of meat involved can make a difference: a pork sausage sauce calls for a fresh wine, even a sparkling one such as Lambrusco, while a classic beef ragout, stewed for a long time with broth or tomato, needs a still red. For wines to accompany meat-based first courses, find our best bottles online and your own red wine-ragout pairing.