Easy Guide to Italian Food and Wine Giada De Laurentiis offers her pairing tips. When a celebrity chef and an international wine conglomerate join forces, it's fair to be skeptical. Then again, it just might result in some decent wine-and-food pairing advice.

Giada De Laurentiis, author of five cookbooks and host of the Food Network shows Everyday Italian and Giada at Home, has teamed up with wine giant Gallo and its Italian brand Bella Sera to create simple recipes designed to match with the Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Chianti in the Bella Sera lineup. The idea is straightforward: Experience one or two varieties' ability to enhance the flavors of certain dishes, and you know the basics. From there, cook and drink what you like to your heart's content.

We've yet to try the Bella Sera wines but, admittedly, the recipes in the entertaining guide look tasty, simple and perfectly wine-friendly. After all, De Laurentiis had a head start on food-and-wine matching having been raised in an Italian family. But even through all her life and kitchen experiences, she contends that the real joy is in gathering family and friends and having a great time--the food and wine just make everything more fun, no matter what you choose to serve.

Read our full interview with De Laurentiis below. Bottlenotes: How did you first get interested in wine?
De Laurentiis: As part of an Italian culture, we drink wine at an early age--before the age of 21. I've been told that's not something I should be talking about, but it's the truth. I realize that's frowned upon in the U.S., but that's how it started. My parents had wine around and my family did, and it was part of our regular meals. We only had a couple sips in our glasses, but we enjoyed food and wine together. Wine is part of the entertaining table. What I try to do in my shows is create a wonderful Italian experience you can have at home. Part of that is wine. Chefs often think about food first, and the wine to go with it later. Does wine play into your recipe construction earlier on?
Like many chefs, I think about my food first, I won't lie. I think of colors, textures and flavors. Especially when you cook on television, we eat with our eyes first. All of our senses are in play before we actually ever put the food in our mouths. I think wine enhances the aromas of the food. It almost perfumes it so not only does it look appealing and mouthwatering, but it smells unbelievably delicious. So I think that's what wine adds before you ever put [food] in your mouth. That's the fun part about pairing wine and food together. I love to eat light foods, so my go-to wine for cooking and drinking is Pinot Grigio. I always say to people that if you're in doubt, go with a Pinot Grigio, because you can't go wrong. It's so light and refreshing, it always enhances whatever you eat with it. The other go-to for me is Pinot Noir. When people are entertaining and saying, "I need a white and I need a red--something that'll go with everything that I'm serving," between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, you've got all of those bases covered. How involved did you get in the creation of the wines?
Bella Sera blends the wines, and I do the food. I've had the pleasure of sipping and tasting all the wines, but I don't get involved in the blending. I leave that up to the experts. Do you ever hope to make your own wine?
You just never know! I think I need to learn a little more about the process. I know what I like, but I don't yet know how you get there. I'm turning 40 this summer, and spending time in Napa and Sonoma with my husband, so I've spoken to [Gallo] about going to some of their vineyards up there and tasting and playing, and we'll see where it goes. Which Italian wine region is your favorite?
The Veneto region, near Venice, has wonderful Pinot Grigio, and that's one of my favorites. Then, honestly, I love Sicilian wines. I think a lot of people think of Tuscany as a go-to region for red wine, which is great with full-bodied dishes. Sicily's still a little untouched, and people don't know it as well, but they have wonderful wines there. What are you basic tips or rules you follow for pairing food and wine?
I write recipes for the kind of food I like to eat, so I always pair them with my fallback wines. Especially with pasta, if you're making a meat-based dish, go with a Chianti or Pinot Noir. If you're making a fish dish or vegetarian pasta, anything on the lighter side, go with a Pinot Grigio. I think people feel intimidated by wine, and they want to feel knowledgeable and smart. So I try to help them by making as many generalizations as I can without steering them way off. What's the best bottle of wine you've ever had?
I'm a sweet girl. I will always fall back on the sweet wines. My parents, when we were kids, would give us a little bit of Moscato at night, when we all got together for Sunday dinner, and I cherish every last little sip of that. Even if it was just a little bit on my lips--I just loved it so much. What's your favorite non-Italian wine?
I like Rieslings from Austria or Germany...and I think you know why!