Wine is a very important part of the Italian culture. They use it in their recipes, as well as drink it at the table along with their meals. Choosing the right wine to go with your meal is almost as important as the food itself.
Wine is both complex and regional, as it is important and tasty. There’s a vast world of difference between regions through Italy. This can make choosing the right wine a bit tricky.
Wine Display in San Gimignano
In order to choose the right wine, you need to be able to decipher between the labels. Here are some terms to understand and know:
- Anno means vintage
- Amabile means sweet
- Azienda means estate
- Bianco means white
- Cantina means winery
- Dolce means sweet
- Grappa means strong Italian brandy, derived from grapes
- Naturale means sparkling wine, in which bubbles are derived with natural methods, such as with fermentation
- Produttore means producer
- Rossa means red
- Rosato means rose
- Secco means dry
- Spumante means sparkling
- Vino means wine
- Vigna means vineyard
Classifications of wines are as follows:
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): This is the equivalent of the French wine classification. These wines must be made in specified, government-defined zones and in accordance with particular regulations, which are intended to preserve the wine’s character.
- Table wines – Indicazione di Geografica Tipica (IGT): Tables wines, which are often times grown in specific geographical regions. Some wines fall under this category in order to avoid more stringent regulations associated with DOC and DOCG.
- Table wines – Vino Da Tavola (VdT): This category designates wines which reside on the low-end of quality. Compromised mostly of Italian table wines, which can produced anywhere in Italy.
Italian wines go with certain types of food. Here are guidelines to follow:
- Always match the sauce with the wine (i.e. choose a lighter wine to go with a lighter sauce)
- Heavier and fattier dishes sometimes require a more acidic wine to lighten the load
- When serving beef, lamb or rabbit, serve red wine
- Northern game, cheese and prosciutto can be served with fruitier white wines
- Sangiovese wine and Pinot Noir wine can be paired with various types of Italian breads as well as mushroom sauces and heavier Italian dishes
- Chianti, by default, is the wine which is often served with tomato-based sauces
- Chardonnay and Champaign can be served with seafood pasta dishes and mild cheese-stuffed pastas
- Pair creamier sauces with Voigner, but pair Chardonnay with buttery sauces
- Meat lasagna goes well with Valpollicello and Chianti
- Vegetable lasagnas are more mild and should be paired with Pinot Noir
- Italian appetizers and soups go best with lighter and drier wines
- Cured red meats, such as prosciutto, pancetta and salami go well with full-bodied red wines
- Pesto is to be paired with classic red wines
- Classic pizza pairs best with reds, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chianti and Merlot