A plate of local cheeses, blue cheeses, and dried fruits with a glass of Recioto is one of the finer things in life. that are great partners for the cheeses, and which fit your budget too. Red wines: Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Lambrusco, Chianti They start out as usual red wine, but then in spring they are repassed recombined with the skins left from pressing Recioto and Amarone, which adds both sweet flavors and enough actual sugar to provoke a small new fermentation. Instead of forming a new taste together, the flavors of the wine and cheese bounced off each other. Gorgonzola hails from Italys northern Lombardy region, dating back to the 9th century. Fortunately, at a wine shop, and especially if you choose a Ripasso, there is perhaps less gamble with Valpolicella than most wines. Its vineyards are farmed all organically and biodynamically, and each site-specific cuve is produced from a particular vineyard site. These are normally the most affordable of the Valpolicella wines, and they are good for everyday drinking. White wines: Pinot Grigio Valpolicella Classico is also surprisingly delicious with Lemon Chicken served over a bed of warm pasta. Made by fermenting standard Valpolicella with a pomace of grape skins left over from Recioto and Amarone, Ripasso is double-processed, and its name means re-pass. These soft, supple, medium-bodied wines combine the sour cherry notes of standard Valpolicella and the soft, bitter, slightly raisined notes of Amarone and Recioto. If you don't have a local wine shop and have to depend on the long Simply divine when enjoyed with a beef fillet en croute or coq au vin. If you have a more mature one, grate it over pasta and meat dishes, especially those of Roman cuisine. As it is a light red wine, Valpolicella works very well as a partner for appetizers, or as an appetizer in itself. They have a bit more body and deeper flavours than regular Valpolicella and can stand up to heavier foods. But Valpolicella comes in diverse forms from dry to sweet, including the rare sparkling sweet red called Recioto Spumante. The modern wines work, but for me the more traditional ones are more fun. Many of the regular Valpolicella and Valpolicella Classico Superiore wines are now labeled Ripasso. If the dish is rich, gamey, earthy, or tomato sauce-based, Ripasso is an incredibly food-friendly wine to pair up with it. Valpolicella is a good alternative to Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, and pairs well with poultry, salmon, seafood stew, and grilled vegetables. Kind of, but not really. When the wines reach this temperature, they feel soft with velvety tannins, enabling all of their perfumes to breathe. Recioto is an absolute success with tiramisu, chocolate, and cakes. Theres a lot to love about this versatile Italian red wine blend. 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. Many of the regular Valpolicella and Valpolicella Classico Superiore wines are now labeled Ripasso. Rarer still, all four wines are produced throughout the region. Stuffed mushrooms, mushroom pie, or even a Portobello mushroom burger will be great for contrasting Valpolicellas zesty red fruit character. Recioto is unfortunately rare these days, but if you find a bottle, you should give it a try. Made by Benedictine monks, Abbaye de Belloc is a semi-hard cheese with a full, sheepy flavor and sweet undertones. The term Classico refers to the fact that these wines are grown in a section of the Valpolicella region that is historically recognized for better quality. 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. hello@hellovino.com. Semi-Soft: Theyre not spreadable, nor do they break in shards like a hard cheese. 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. Valpolicella Classico Share your experiences in the comments below. Amarone is extremely full-bodied and rich, with high alcohol and very concentrated fruit flavors, including blackberry, cherry jam, plums, raisins, chocolate, and vanilla. Try drinking a powerful Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino with, Also from Lombardy, creamy, buttery, and sweeter Mascarpone has a slightly lemon-like quality, making it popular in cheesecake and tiramisu recipes. These dry, versatile reds pair with a variety of dishes and are great company throughout a meal. 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). White wines: Fum Blanc 2. Valpolicella and Amarone: Styles & Food Pairings - From The Vine Gorgonzola hails from Italys northern Lombardy region, dating back to the 9th century. If you like powerful, fruity,yet dry red wines, Amarone is for you. Put the Gourmet Cheese Detective on the case! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As a relatively light and appealing red wine, Valpolicella can be quite interchangeable with Beaujolais or Pinot Noir when it comes to food pairing. Molinara is used sparingly these days, and provides lean acidity. These cheeses tend to go best with dry or off-dry white wines, ros or light-bodied, fruity red wines with a low degree of alcohol. The Italian Cheese and Wine Pairing Guide Mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, pecorino, parmesan, and even mascarpone, are all from the sunny southern regions, beginning in Emilia Romagna and moving down. Malbecs from Cahors in Southwest France feature similar aromas of vintage leather and undergrowth, along with ripe black fruit and spice. Go to Italian Cheeses N to Z Saluti! Each cheese is an 8 ounce package (2 lbs total). Strong cheeses including mature parmegiano reggiano (parmesan), Ubriaco all'Amarone (cheese matured in amarone grape must), Gorgonzola and Erborinato Veja (another blue cheese) Other . 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. The wine is also inexpensive. Amarone della Valpolicella will stand up to this cheese - both in flavour and aroma - without overwhelming any of the more subtle notes in the cheese and your pasta dish. Fortified/Dessert wines: Sauternes (Semillon), RAGUSANO The delicate and creamy cheese known as Ricotta is produced by adding milk to the whey that remains after making harder cheeses. Fontina is produced from cows milk in the far northwestern corner of Italy called Valle dAosta. Go to Main Italian Cheeses Page 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. Milder blue cheeses like Cambozola share the same potential matches as bloomy cheeses. If youre looking for a high-quality, budget-friendly option to explore the world of valpolicella ripasso, this bottle is a great place to start. Cheese for Valpolicella and Montepulciano | Blog - Di Bruno 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. Recommended pairings for some popular Italian cheeses: Mozzarella di Bufala Pairing Italian Cheeses with Wonderful Wines - Gourmet Cheese Detective For amarone, grab some aged Parmigiano cheese and get the post-dinner course started, or simply light up a cigar to sip with the wine. They tend to be creamy and fairly mild in flavor. Try drinking a powerful Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino with a little bottle age to match the boldness of this beloved Italian cheese. The easy-drinking appeal of regular red Valpolicell is coupled with the prestige of its powerful and intensely flavored counterpart Amarone della Valpolicella. With its medley of red fruits and high acidity, Valpolicella is also a great match for a rich tomato ragu or pizza, particularly if it involves some vegetarian meats, like soy mince or seitan chunks. Burrata: A mozzarella exterior gives way to a luscious, milky center of mozzarella scraps mixed with cream. It will be best when paired with lighter meats, sharp cheeses or earthy vegetable dishes. Some cheeses can partner well with a fairly wide variety of reds and Valpolicella Ripasso and Valpolicella Amarone are in a completely different league than Valpolicella Classico. Valpolicella Classico is fantastic with pasta with a red sauce as the herbs and cherry flavours blend in perfectly with the tomato sauce. However, it is also thin in flavour and will be crushed by heavier pasta and pizzas. Looking for something specific on GourmetCheeseDetective.com? The more you pursue your cheese sampling - the more you will learn about the versatility of both cheese and wine. The Ripasso wines generally have a juicy sweetness and are often good value. A slightly briny, salty cheese like feta or fresh . Valpolicella Food Pairing - Best Food & Valpolicella Pairing Amarone has just the proper amount of oomph to hold its own against these sharp Roquefort Cheese flavours without overwhelming the cheese. The wines bright, palate-coating acidity leads to a refreshing and lingering finish.
