Keep it simple, Italian style
We often overwhelm white vintages
Whenever I’m lucky enough to be in Italy, I take my watch off. It’s not so much that time stands still but rather that it moves at its own pace and that rarely includes 60 beats per minute. Italians can be gregarious talkers and use a whirlwind of gestures when speaking but when it comes to food and wine there is a calmness and a sense of purpose in their choices that few other cultures can match. They do not spend a lot of time thinking about pairing wine and food as much as they serve what comes naturally, or should I say historically, in their specific region.
More likely it is the simplicity of the food and the clarity of flavours served on the plate that really makes Italy a special place for wine and food. Often only one or two flavours are present in any dish and rarely more than three and it is this reliance on simplicity and uncluttered flavours that I believe has wide appeal.
I mention all this because there is some relevance for us in British Columbia when you consider the lean, fresh style of Italian white and red wines that are not all that far off what we have access to in the Okanagan. Add to that our easy access to delicious local seafood and there is an obvious link between modern West Coast cuisine and Italian white wine that is well worth exploring.
Freshness and minerality are the hallmarks of many Italian whites and when paired with equally fresh seafood dishes they move to another level , revealing finesse and character from the front of the glass to the back.
The darling white wine at the moment is sparkling prosecco and you could choose from a lengthy list in government stores and restaurant wine lists. Prosecco is made from the glera grape grown in the heart of the ‘ Prosecco’ region either in Conegliano or Valdobbiadene or it can also be a blend of both regions.
Prosecco is a softer style bubble, with ripe fruit and a slightly bitter aftertaste. It is well- suited to all types of antipastos and pre- dinner bites to eat. Think marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, a selection of olives from bulk olive bins and some thinly sliced soppressata, capicolla and salumi.
Pasta and Italian wine is an easy match and if you think like an Italian and add perhaps only one or two ingredients, the results can be stunning. In the case of verdicchio, a crisp white with plenty of minerality and acid region, a quick match could be as simple as tossing fresh pasta, available at most specialty markets, with a variety of pesto.
Pinot Grigio is probably the best known Italian white wine but often the light- bodied, dry, crisp wine is overwhelmed by the food we serve with it in North America. A case in point is squid. It is almost always breaded, spiced and served as an appetizer when pan- seared squid with a little olive oil, salt and pepper is the perfect match.
One of my favourite pairings is with Dungeness crab and black bean sauce in the middle of a cold, wet January day. In the summer, Pinot Grigio is a star with sliced heritage tomatoes and fresh burrata. It is equally at home with roast chicken, stuffed with lemons and onions. It’s as if the rich but simple flavours simply melt into the acidity and grassy/ lemon notes of the grigio.
The point of all this is to inspire you to discover the freshness and life to be had in Italian white wines and, what is more, why oak and alcohol are not always a necessary ingredient to enjoy wine. Be it halibut or clams or oysters or just a piece of white fish, it’s up to you to tap the potential of these delicious Italian white wines by exploring your local market for fresh foods and cooking simply.
Nothing could be more Italian than that.