Big Fan Of Olive Garden Wine? Use This Trick To Bring A Bottle Home

As any Olive Garden fan knows, when you're there, you're family. But that value also applies, of course, in your own home. Sometimes, you want to be able to enjoy the experience of the meals you love at Olive Garden but in the comfort of your own kitchen or dining room. You're probably aware this is very possible in terms of the food. There's the iconic "buy one, take one" deal in which when you order any of your favorite Olive Garden entrees, you get another one to take home. If you live close enough to one of the chain's locations, there's also the option of getting Olive Garden delivered. But what many OG enthusiasts may not realize is that you can actually complete your at-home Olive Garden experience with wine right from the eatery.

Wine can really make a meal, especially when you're talking about pairing Italian wines with Italian dishes. You can have the best Olive Garden dish in front of you, but may feel something is missing without the wine you love ordering at the restaurant. For some reason, it's almost a secret that this doesn't have to be the case. One of the essential things to know before your next Olive Garden visit is that you can grab a bottle of what you love to go. You do have to be 21 or over, and some locations may not offer this; call ahead if your heart is set on bringing home a bottle. 

As long as you're of age and at a participating location, ordering wine to go at Olive Garden is as easy as ordering any of the food items to take home. Available options can include Olive Garden's Moscato Primo Amore, a light and fruity white wine made from Muscat grapes; the Confetti Sweet Pink Moscato Blend, subtly effervescent and sweet with peach and strawberry notes; and the Roscato Rosso Dolce, a richer sweet-leaning wine that also has some sparkle plus notes of cherry and blackberry. Naturally, you can pick your favorite, but you may also want to think about what food you're planning on taking home, too, so you can pair accordingly.

There are simple steps to pairing wine and food like a pro. Team lighter-bodied wines with more delicate dishes like fish, let wine's acidity cut richness in food, and consider complementary flavors. That Moscato Primo Amore is a nice light partner for Olive Garden's shrimp or salmon dishes, but would also balance the creaminess of an alfredo or carbonara pasta. The pink Moscato blend's light fruitiness would sing with a crisp, bright salad; while the Roscato would hold up to more robust meals like lasagna or chicken parmigiana. Think about desserts, too, pairing the pink Moscato with the strawberry cream cake and the red blend with the black tie mousse cake. When in doubt, ask your server — they'll have tips whether you want to order a separate dish to take home or just want wine to complement your leftovers.