valpolicella cheese pairing
Valpolicella: 10 essential facts about the region and its wine - Vincarta Valpolicella is a famous wine region in Verona, Italy, home to a renowned red wine that is also called Valpolicella. The Montepulciano begged for a pecorino even more than the Valpolicella. Masi 06 Valpolicella Bonacosta: This typical Valpolicella was light-bodied and buttery. Thus a lighter red that is refreshing in acidity is all you need. Lighter red wines pair with leaner cuts and red meats that are served closer to the raw form. A simple pasta isnt going to be overly complicated in flavour. With hot spicy sauces such as arrabbiatta, aglio olio e peperoncino (garlic, oil and chilli) and puttanesca (anchovies, capers and olives) try either a sharply flavoured dry white wine or a rustic Italian red: a Primitivo or Sicilian red, Zinfandel or Valpolicella Ripasso. Ripasso and Amarone are heavy hitters as they have bold flavours, high alcohol content and almost syrupy concentrated flavours. Reciotos deep toothsome raspberry notes and dried cherry aromas also hang out for a very long time, softening with time. Go to Pairing British Cheeses with Wine, Ales and Ciders What Are Good Food Pairings with Valpolicella? Valpolicella Rosso is Valpolicella that has been produced outside of this original boundary. As you enter the world of Amarone and Ripasso, you can look for more seasoned cheeses, such as a well-aged Parmesan, Bra Duro, or Bitto Storico, pairing full-bodied and intense flavours with each other. Go to Italian Cheeses N to Z The modern wines, products of greater control and higher technology, often taste of vanilla from aging in new oak barrels. They are both produced in the Veneto region, near the cities of Venice and Verona, from a blend of local red grapes. Valpolicella Food Pairing | Vino Critic The modern wines work, but for me the more traditional ones are more fun. These are your best options: Get wine advice, wine pairing advice & other wine news directly in your inbox for free. No reproduction without permission. We enjoyed a bottle of each and came up with both obvious and unconventional pairings. These wines are fuller than those mentioned previously, with darker color, medium body, and a broader set of flavors. Great food pairings include meaty dishes, pasta, risotto, cheese, and many more. Valpolicella has some interesting notes of peppercorn and warm baking spices in its profile, so we recommend pairing like with like. Go to Italian Cheeses A to M Valpolicella Superiore is Valpolicella Classico that has been aged at least one year in wood, and is a minimum of 12% alcohol. The softer, more mild is Dolce, and the more intense, crumbly, and tangier is Piccante. The best wine pairings for spaghetti puttanesca. Pairing Wine with Steak, Lamb, and Other Red Meat | Wine Folly These are normally the most affordable of the Valpolicella wines, and they are good for everyday drinking. Mark Your Calendars: Magnum Marathon Returns May 9 with Large-Format Wine Savings, Perfect Wines to Gift for Mothers Day and Their Flower Pairings, 5 Lesser-Known Wine Regions Making Excellent and Affordable Wines. When wine lovers consider red wines from northern Italy, their thoughts may go directly to the esteemed wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, made with the prestigious Nebbiolo grape. Red wines: Chianti, Merlot, PECORINO TOSCANO Pairing Italian Cheeses with just the right wines Click on the image to order your assortment today! We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. A salty, dry pecorino seemed like the most obvious choice and Pecorino di Grotto worked admirably. Last updated January 31st 2023 Fresh: Soft and rindless, these can be made with cow, goat or sheep milk. A plate of local cheeses, blue cheeses, and dried fruits with a glass of Recioto is one of the finer things in life. Since Valpolicella is incredibly food-friendly and light, it wont get in the way of most toppings. What could be better with cherry or strawberry pie? A regular Valpolicella can be overwhelmed by heavy, flavourful cuts of meat, like beef or game. The blend is most often dominated by the corvina grape variety, with the local varieties of rondinella and molinara playing backup roles; rosignola, sangiovese, barbera, bigolona, and negrara are also permitted as well. Valpolicella Food Pairing Valpolicella (vahl-pawl-eh-CHEHL-lah): A red blend with black cherry, dried fruit & licorice. Below, you will find a description not only of Valpolicella and Amarone, but their variations, too. Many are excellent to melt and perfect to slice. Valpolicella Ripasso and Valpolicella Amarone are in a completely different league than Valpolicella Classico. History states it was initially made by Cistercian monks. The wine ferments in stainless steel tanks and ages for 18 months (12 in oak) prior to bottling. Hard: The product of aging, these are quite firm and break into crumbles or shards. Check on some French wine and cheese Pairings, and find out for yourself. It may be best known to Americans as the birthplace of Amarone, but Valpolicella is home to four styles of wine and millennia of viticultural history. The four distinct styles of Valpolicella wine are unusual in that all are made from the same short list of native grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone, and Molinara. The easy-drinking appeal of regular red Valpolicell is coupled with the prestige of its powerful and intensely flavored counterpart Amarone della Valpolicella. Lively, vibrant Valpolicella is redolent of refreshing sour cherry and aromatic herbs, and, like good Beaujolais, benefits from a slight chill. Some cheeses like Gouda are semi-soft in younger styles, while when aged, their texture turns hard. Perfect for last-minute entertaining that needs to look like you planned for weeks! After a few slices of cheese and sips of wine, the flavors melted into each other to become fruity, sweet, dry, and nutty, all at once. Go one level . Santi Of the four styles of Valpolicella wines, two have aging power and two are ready to drink in youth. It will be best when paired with lighter meats, sharp cheeses or earthy vegetable dishes. As it is a light red wine, Valpolicella works very well as a partner for appetizers, or as an appetizer in itself. The 10 rules of food and wine pairing Watch out for salt and fat Given the high salt content in cured meats, freshness is key when picking a wine. To make Recioto, winemakers pick ripe grapes from vines and let them dry on mats or hanging from rafters throughout the month of January, then vinifying these shriveled grapes and stopping fermentation before all sugars convert to alcohol. They can be soft and creamy, or semi-soft and crumbly. Are Valpolicella and Amarone the Same Thing? Another pairing worth trying is with donkey meat stew or pastissada de caval. This site participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Fortified/Dessert wines: Sauternes (Semillon), RAGUSANO Close in style to Parmigiano-Reggiano and also originating from northern Italy, Grana Padano is an unpasteurized cows milk cheese. Amarone & Food Pairing - (with reasons!) - Drink & Pair Plus, you get a bit of herb, spice and smoke in Valpolicella that imparts its own characteristics on the roasted chicken and further improves the taste. Truffle Tremor paired well with the wine for very different reasons. Wines labelled Amarone and Ripasso do not apply to any of the pairings we mention below. Valle Reale 04 Montepulciano dAbruzzo: This wine tasted rugged and raw. While, for main dishes that include Mascarpone, try a lively sparkling wine like Prosecco. The only thing you should really stay away from is overly acidic foods, like a piece of fish doused in vinegar and lemon juice. Others are indeed more local and harder to find. These dry, versatile reds pair with a variety of dishes and are great company throughout a meal. A juicy steak cooked medium rare with a good Amarone is a match made in heaven. Amarone is extremely full-bodied and rich, with high alcohol and very concentrated fruit flavors, including blackberry, cherry jam, plums, raisins, chocolate, and vanilla. Valpolicella is a red wine blend produced in the Veneto region of Italy. Part two in the series will explore the region, grapes, and winemaking techniques in more depth, to help give you a more complete understanding of one of Italys top red wines. Simply divine when enjoyed with a beef fillet en croute or coq au vin. Milder blue cheeses like Cambozola share the same potential matches as bloomy cheeses. Each cheese is an 8 ounce package (2 lbs total). hello@hellovino.com. 7 Aphrodisiacs To Stimulate Your Appetite(s). Valpolicella: What to Know and 5 Bottles to Try - Liquor.com For meatier pizza, such as a meat lovers pizza or pizza with sausage, Id go with Valpolicella Superiore. These are normally the most affordable of the Valpolicella wines, and they are good for everyday drinking. It can range in style from soft and subtle to firm, intense, and nutty. Other fresh cheeses: Mascarpone, Stracchino, Boursin, very young Selles sur Cher, Other bloomy cheeses: Chaource, Coeur du Neufchatel (both cow), Crottin de Chavignol (goat), Other washed-rind cheeses: Langres, Chaume, Livarot, Munster, Vacherin de Mont dOr, Other semi-soft cheeses: Provolone, Edam, Morbier, Mimolette, Other hard cheeses: Manchego, Grana Padano, Beaufort, Cantal, Emmenthal, Sbrinz, Comt, Other blue cheeses: Fourme dAmbert, Bleu dAuvergne, Cabrales, Casa S 2021 Maximus Cuve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley), Matchbook 2020 The Herdsman CAB Giguiere Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Dunnigan Hills), Tekstura 2021 Redford-Wetle Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Eola-Amity Hills), Rutherford Ranch 2019 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), Rutherford Ranch 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), Rombauer 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), Rombauer 2020 Twin Rivers Single Vineyard Zinfandel (El Dorado), Clos de Napa 2020 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), Whitehall Lane 2019 Leonardini Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), Roots Run Deep Winery 2020 Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa County), Viberti 2021 Filebasse Chardonnay (Piemonte), Bodegas Bianchi 2019 IV Generacin Single Block Gran Malbec (Los Chacayes), Daou 2020 Soul of a Lion Cabernet Sauvignon (Adelaida District), Morgan 2021 Highland Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands), Samuel Louis Smith 2021 Escolle Vineyard Gamay Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands), Gmez de Segura 2018 Finca Ratn Reserva (Rioja), Vias Leizaola 2019 Caminos de Sacramento (Rioja), Casa Primicia 2018 Carravalseca Crianza (Rioja), Infinito 2020 Winemaker's Selection Malbec (Mendoza), David Paige 2021 RPG Vineyard Pinot Blanc (Eola-Amity Hills), Castle Rock 2021 Pinot Noir (Mendocino County), Middleridge 2021 Beshke Family Pinot Noir (Palos Verdes Peninsula), Castle Rock 2021 Cuve Pinot Noir (California), By continuing to use our Services and/or submitting the above information, you agree to our use of cookies and the terms of our Salmon or tuna is also a fantastic choice. With its intense sour cherry and dark chocolate profile, Valpolicella brings all the charming flavours of a bold red, with a lighter body. The resulting Valpolicella wines are bright, lively, and balanced with savory sour cherry flavors. Gorgonzola hails from Italys northern Lombardy region, dating back to the 9th century. The food-friendly nature of this red wine also ensures it will go great with any veggies or herbs that might be tossed into your sauce. You can buy high-quality Valpolicella Classico in the $8-$20 range, making it a no-brainer when you want to keep things casual. The wine tasted fruitier and fuller while the cheese tasted stronger than usual. Red wines: Chianti, PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO Go to Pairing French Cheeses and Wine The keys to success of the Valpolicella family with Parmigiano are sufficient fruit flavor, and either some sugar or age or both to reduce the effects of tannin in the wine and stand up to the deep, nutty, caramel flavors of the cheese. Parmigiano-Reggiano and Valpolicella - The Art of Eating Magazine - G.C.D. The Future 40 Tastemakers & Innovators of 2022, Go Here, Not There: 3 Alternative Destinations to Popular Wine Regions, 8 Bucket-List Drinks Spots Around the World, Wine Enthusiasts 2022 Wine Star Award Winners, California Privacy Rights Do Not Sell My Information, Crisp, dry and young bottlings (Albario, Soave, Pinot Blanc, Muscadet, Vermentino, Verdejo, Arneis, Sauvignon Blanc, young Chardonnay), Off-dry wines (Gewrztraminer or Riesling) for salty cheeses like feta, Very young, fruity, unoaked red wines (Loire Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Valpolicella, Zweigelt), Dry, traditional-method sparkling wines (brut Champagne. This incredibly milky variety is a true delight! Recioto is unfortunately rare these days, but if you find a bottle, you should give it a try. Amarone and Recioto, because they come from semi-dried grapes and are usually older, have more of the latter group. The softer, more mild is Dolce, and the more intense, crumbly, and tangier is Piccante. Valpolicella 101 - Learn About Valpolicella Wines From Italy (vahl-pawl-eh-CHEHL-lah): A red blend with black cherry, dried fruit & licorice. 4 Local Wine and Cheese Pairings Worth Experiencing Sourced from a handful of vineyard sites ranging from five to 30 years old, this textured and tasty bottle is one of our go-to picks year round. Flavors of plum and sour cherries gave way to soft tannins on the finish. Try to pair this wine with dishes that contain cinnamon, nutmeg, cacao nibs, and black or white pepper. It has a sharp acidity and a distinctive sour cherry note that works well with a lot of food. The best food matches for Amarone | Matching Food & Wine Instead, above all with Recioto, youre matching two forms of luxurious intensity. Think of lighter-bodied expressions of valpolicella (not ripasso) like your favorite pinot noirs or gamays, and pair them with poultry, charcuterie, or a variety of appetizers. Vicki Denig is a wine and travel writer and content creator. Fuller-bodied ripasso expressions will show exceptionally well alongside roasted meats, burgers, and hearty vegetarian stews. The process of grape drying causes the berries to shrivel and dehydrates them, which in turn concentrates the sugars. Produced using the pressed skins of the regions famed amarone wine, this rich and complex expression of valpolicella provides an extra punch of a flavor with every sip. Black cherry, herbs, and spicy fruit dominate Valpolicella Classico, as does its high acidity. In the plans just south of these mountains, Valpolicellas vines rest in rich, alluvial soil. Wine Pairing Advice: What to Drink With Italian-American Classics Grilled vegetables are always a good choice umami and smoky flavours are desirable. Young Valpolicella pairs well with salads and seafood, pastas like gnocchi, beef-filled tortellini di Valeggio, or pizza. There isnt to me much synergy between the wine and cheese, the sort of interaction that transforms your perception of one or the other. Try it with an antipasto plate of prosciutto, soft blue. Werlin says that one simple rule is to be aware is acidity. Noble Rot sweet wines (Sauternes, Barsac, Monbazillac, Riesling Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, Quarts de Chaume) for sharp, salty cheese, Dessert wines from dried grapes (Vin Santo, Juranon, Recioto de Soave), Late-harvest wines (Riesling Sptlese or Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives) for cheeses not overtly pungent, Sweet, fortified reds (Vintage Port, LBV Port, Maury, Banyuls), Alpine white wines (Swiss Chasselas, Chignin, Jacqres, Arbois), Crisp, dry, light-bodied white wines (Muscadet, Chablis, Pinot Blanc), Light, fresh, crunchy wines (young Pinot Noir, Gamay, Mondeuse, Zweigelt). One of the more interesting pairings involves Idiazbal with a ros wine made with the Cabernet-relative Hondarribi Beltza. The ripe and bone-dry valpolicella classico superiore is produced from 50% corvina and 20% corvinone, rounded out with rondinella and croatina. Blue: Veins of blue mold run through these. My best advise: Many of the cheeses listed above (and below) are available worldwide (like Parmiggiano, Grana Padano or Pecorino). Some cheeses can partner well with a fairly wide variety of reds and Fontina is produced from cows milk in the far northwestern corner of Italy called Valle dAosta. Valpolicella Classico is low in both alcohol and tannin, making it incredibly food-friendly and inexpensive. you agree to our use of cookies and the terms of our. Cheese for Valpolicella and Montepulciano | Blog - Di Bruno They tend to be the richest and creamiest type of cheese, with a soft, spreadable texture. Gorgonzola hails from Italys northern Lombardy region, dating back to the 9th century. Sparkling wines: Prosecco, GRANA PADANO Although this wine is extremely approachable in its youth, this budget-friendly gem will withstand up to five to seven years in the cellar. Roquefort Cheese & Amarone Pairing Roquefort cheese is a flavourful blue cheese that is salty and flavorful, with notes of sweet burnt caramel and bitter almond. This will benefit from crisp white or ros wine pairings to balance out its fresh, mildly sweet character. 2009-2023 Hello Vino, Inc. All rights reserved. This 240-square-kilometer area in northern Italys Veneto region is located in the foothills of the Alps, which provide its northern border, and in and around the descending valleys of the Lessini Mountains. Get our best cocktail recipes, tips, and more when you sign up for our newsletter. Remember, Valpolicella has very low levels of tannins, so youre unlikely to get an overpowering bitter taste if you pair this red wine with seafood. Valpolicella is a good alternative to Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, and pairs well with poultry, salmon, seafood stew, and grilled vegetables. The complications of the Valpolicella family, unfortunately, defy simple explanation. Its vineyards are farmed all organically and biodynamically, and each site-specific cuve is produced from a particular vineyard site. Restrained, dry, light-bodied Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre), Dry, young Riesling, dry Chenin Blanc (Vouvray), Grner Veltliner, Aged Hunter Valley Semillon or textured white Rhne varieties (Marsanne and Roussanne, specifically Chteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc) for ripe, pungent cheese, Dry and light-bodied wines that are young, fruity and unoaked (Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, Barbera, Gamay, Cabernet Franc from the Loire, Bonarda, Menca, Zweigelt), Dry, traditional-method sparkling wines (brut Franciacorta, brut California bottlings), Dry and off-dry, unoaked white wines (Gewurztaminer and Pinot Gris from Alsace, Chenin Blanc from the Loire), Dry, structured whites (Marsanne and Roussanne, mature Hunter Valley Semillon, Riesling from Clare or Eden Valley, Australia) for ripe, pungent cheese, Epoisses and Chambertin (said to be a favorite of Napoleon), Dry, white wines with a touch of oak (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rioja), Gutsy, rustic, crunchy wines without much oak (Ctes de Rhne, Corbires, St-Chinian, Chianti, Menca, young Bordeaux blends), Vintage traditional-method sparkling wines (Champagne, Franciacorta) for younger cheese, Bold wines with some age (Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Aglianico, Rioja or Bordeaux blends from cooler climates like Bordeaux or Margaret River). For a silky, fuller-bodied expression of valpolicella ripasso, check out this mouth-coating expression. Young, Hard, salty Pecorino Romano is produced from sheeps milk, with younger versions making a fine appetizer. BRA Its soft texture and freshness make elegant white wines an ideal match. Best Food with Ripasso - (with reasons!) Many of the regular Valpolicella and Valpolicella Classico Superiore wines are now labeled Ripasso. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check out Di Brunos latest culinary discoveries, events, promotions, & more! The only thing wrong with a breakfast burrito is that eating the whole thing at once can result in a "food coma.". White wines: Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Red wines: Big Tuscan reds, Valpolicella, California Merlot, California Zinfandel The more you pursue your cheese sampling - the more you will learn about the versatility of both cheese and wine. An assortment of four cheeses that are typical of four distinct regions of Italy: Provolone Piccante, Grana Padano Stravecchio, Mountain Gorgonzola and Pecorino Toscano. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Fortified/Dessert wines: Port, Madeira, Red wines: Northern Italian reds from Nebbiolo grape such as Barolo and Barbaresco - and Barbera grape such as Barbera d'Asti, Barbera d'Alba, or Dolcetta d'Alba Flavors of plum and sour cherries gave way to soft tannins on the finish. Roquefort and Sauternes. Purchases made through links on this site do not affect the price you pay for products purchased. An extremely sweet dessert wine, Recioto is actually the oldest style in Valpolicella. Valpolicella Superiore is much richer in flavour than Valpolicella Classico and will pair with somewhat heavier dishes such as steak, burgers, lamb and meatier pasta. Go to Pairing British Cheeses with Wine, Ales and Ciders. Spicy pasta sauces. The Simple Guide to Wine & Cheese Pairing - Wine Enthusiast If you have a more mature one, grate it over pasta and meat dishes, especially those of Roman cuisine. Therefore, these wines have higher levels of sugar and lower levels of alcohol, around 12% on average. If you have a local wine shop with a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable owner, by all means take advantage of his expertise. that are great partners for the cheeses, and which fit your budget too. Rather than complicating the topic with exotic matches like Garrotxa and Meursault, weve broken the art of wine and cheese pairing down, so you can create your own. Fresh: Soft and rindless, these can be. Grapes for amarone production are generally allowed to dry for three to four months; post-fermentation, the wines age for a few years in oak prior to release. With more sugar and less water, the final wines have higher alcohol contents when vinified dry, generally around 15% to 16% ABV. Infographic: Italian Wine & Cheese Pairing Part 1 Whether lighter-bodied, chillable reds ( la gamay or pinot noir) are what you love, or you tend to go for fuller-bodied, powerhouse bottles (hello, New World cabernet lovers), theres a valpolicella for everyone. Valpolicella is the most famous red wine district in northeastern Italy's Veneto wine region. A glass of fresh, easy drinking Pinot Grigio makes for an absolutely wonderful pairing. supermarket aisles of wines don't despair. You sip the wine, try a bite of cheese, taking your time, going back and forth. It can range in style from soft and subtle to firm, intense, and nutty. Sartori di Verona Theyre not aged and have a mild, slightly tangy flavor. Amarone, whose name translates to great bitter, is made by letting those same dried grapes fully ferment. If you require a red wine to bring to an Easter Brunch where ham is being served, Valpolicella Classico is an ideal choice as it is incredibly food-friendly.