I think it's really important to
remember that the wine & cheese cultures of Italy are WAY older
than the unified country itself. Cheese production dates back more than
2,000 years to the Romans and the first evidence of wine production is
twice that old. Italy only unified in 1961. Before that, it was a
collection of territories. Being a kind of "wild, wild west" for so long
means lots of variation, with more than 2,000 known grape varieties and
2,500 cheeses. It's nuts.
For anyone getting to know and
understand Italian wines and cheeses, I'd suggest tackling one region at
a time. With so much culinary diversity, it's impossible to try a
particular style of wine or a couple of different sheep milk cheeses and
think "I've got this down." Sorry, but not a chance! Instead, choose a
region that interests you and try as many products as you can. Take your
time, and really focus on the special characteristics that make them
represent the region. Once you get a feel for that region, pick another!
With 20 regions to explore, you won't run out of amazing experiences
anytime soon.
What are some of your personal favorite Italian wine and cheese pairings?
Wow, that's a tough one. There are so many great pairings.
The
first that comes to mind is Robiola Due Latti with Franciacorta.
Sometimes called "Robiola Bosina", this cheese is a blend of cow and
sheep milk made in northern Italy. Soft and creamy, with a mild flavor
and a touch of salt on the finish, it's an amazingly textural cheese
just begging for a wine with lots of texture and energy. Franciacorta, a
sparkling wine from Lombardy (also in the north), is totally up for the
job. Made in the same way Champagne is made, the bright, crisp tones
cut through the creamy cheese, setting you up for another bite.
Delicious.
Another
classic combination is Pecorino Gran Riserva with an aged Chianti
Classico or even a Brunello di Montalcino. Tuscany is home to
sangiovese, that amazing red grape that is all about the tart cherry,
red plum, herbs, and tobacco...it has so much personality, and it's
amazing with food. Chianti Classico is just the right amount of
development and complexity to handle the intensity of pecorino's most
esteemed version. The Gran Riserva is intense and incredibly
well-balanced. Extensive aging yields a drier texture that emphasizes
the savory flavors. If you really want to treat yourself, step the wine
up to Brunello di Montalcino. The more sophisticated flavors and richer
mouthfeel will knock the heavier weight of the sheep milk pecorino out
of the park.
What
is your rule of thumb or advice when trying to pair Italian wines and
cheeses? There is such a wide array from Italian sparkling, rosé, crisp
Italian whites to more textured ones as well as many of Italy's tannic
or full-bodied reds so I understand this may not be an easy
straightforward question.
Yeah,
it's tough to give a straightforward answer, but a solid rule of thumb
for me is to match characteristics between the wine and cheese. If the
wine is big & burly, go for a wine that can match that power and
assertiveness. If you have a piece of cheese that is herbaceous and
fresh, choose a wine that compliments those traits. There is an
exception for me, and that's when I want one part of the pairing to
completely counter the other part. For example, it's fun to counter a
hunk of aromatic, intense gorgonzola naturale blue cheese with a sweet,
viscous vin santo.
My
personal favorite Italian cheeses are pecorino, parmigiano reggiano and
mozzarella. Very different cheeses, although what most folks are
probably most familiar with here in the states. What would you
recommend with these ones in particular? I always say what grows
together goes together. Would you say that holds true in this situation?
You
have great taste! These are some of my favorite cheeses as well. I do
agree with your belief that "what grows together goes together",
although I usually follow that up with a gentle reminder that great
combinations can come from anywhere. For me, the idea that wine and
cheese from the same region naturally go together is a fantastic
starting point. From there, I try to figure out why they are such great partners and think of other options that might fit the bill.
For a
great pecorino pairing, I consider the specific cheese. The word
"pecorino" roughly means "of sheep" in English, and that encompasses a
whole family of amazing cheeses, with all sorts of different attributes.
Pecorino di Pienza Rosso, for example, is rubbed with tomato paste as
it ages, whereas the Morchiato is rubbed with olive must. Similar
cheeses at the beginning of their lives, but a bit different at the end.
If you mean pecorino in general, I prefer a medium or full-bodied white
like pecorino (yes, a white wine), or chardonnay from up north in the
mountain regions. Reds made from sangiovese and nebbiolo work great as
well. If the cheese has more age on it, you can pick a wine with more
body. Reservas, for example, or even wines made in the ripasso style.
The salty intensity of the cheese will provide balance to the wine.
For
the king of all cheeses, parmigiano reggiano, I reach straight away for a bottle of chilly,
dry Lambrusco. Made in the same region, this combination is a stellar
example of "what grows together goes together", especially if you add in
a slice or two of mortadella, the star of nearby Bologna. The wine's
subtle fruitiness and dry structure are gorgeous with the subtle fruit
notes of the cheese and the fattiness of the mortadella. This really is
one of my favorite combinations.
As
for mozzarella, it really depends on what you're doing with it, at least
for me. Just straight-up, fresh mozzarella calls for a bright &
sassy white wine like Orvieto or Gavi di Gavi. If it's melted, I like it
with something a bit heavier but still buoyant, like Roero Arneis. If
it's covering a pizza or flatbread hot off my grill and covered in torn
(never sliced!) basil leaves, preserved lemon, and a healthy pinch of
peperoncini, a cooled-off Frapatto is sublime. If you're rocking a
burrata, ice-cold Prosecco Valdobbiadene is my way to go.
Any
unique Italian cheese and wine pairings you have experienced?
Absolutely.
I experienced one of the best pairings I've ever had last year when I
was in Piedmont. There's a small village called Castelmagno that has
been making their namesake cheese since the 13th century. It's a raw cow
milk cheese that is semi-hard. As it ages, it gets crumbly and usually
develops a bit of blue veining, so the flavor is fairly intense
especially the older ones. I tried a few different ages with some of the
region's famous wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco, and they were
delicious, but then I had it with a youngish Barbera d'Alba Superiore,
and...holy cow. It was electric. The wine had tons of red cherry aromas
and flavors, and it just made the cheese wake up, really pushing the
animal, milky tones to the front. That was awesome.
During one of your food and wine virtual events I attended you shared some information on this cheese festival in Bra, Italy that you attended in 2023. It sounds like this event will be taking place again in 2025. Can you tell us a little about it for our cheese lovers?
Believe
it or not, it's just called "Cheese" - in English! It takes place in
Bra, home to Slow Food Italy. Every other year, in September, the entire
village turns into a gigantic cheese exposition. Thousands of people
descend on the small village for a few days, visiting kiosk after kiosk
of small producers from all over Europe and the States, sampling cheese,
charcuterie, jams, honey...it's bonkers how many amazing things there
are to experience. It's truly something everyone should see at least
once in their lives.
Do you have any particular events coming up that my readers should be aware of?
