Enjoying and Pairing Italian Wine and Cheese: in California and in Italy! #ItalianFWT

Pairing Italian Wine and Italian Cheese in California

Wine goes with cheese. But not all wines go with all cheeses! Some pairings are extraordinary, some hum hum, and some make the wine or the cheese taste terrible. Finding the magic combinations is one of our joys here on Wine Predator; the right combination brings us so much joy! In general, we’ve learned: mild cheeses are better with mild wines, more robust wines pair best with robust cheeses. Think sauvignon blanc and goat cheese, Pinot Noir and brie, smoked cheese with rose, cheddar and red wines, blue cheese and sweet wines; these are some of our favorite, and easy go-to pairings. The beauty of a cheese board is to have a a few favorites and some surprises and to taste through to see what tickles your tastebuds!

At Tinazzi, they had 3 cheeses as well as meats that went well with the different wines.

Before I left for a press trip in Italy on May 31, my writing partner Sue Hill and I met to taste Italian wine paired with Italian cheese for the Wine Pairing Weekend prompt led by host Culinary Cam. (Read her invitation here). I thought I’d supplement the post with ideas from Italy. I thought it wouldn’t be too hard to squeeze in some time to get the post done– or to get the one on Lazio one done (read that one here). However, my trip has been pretty much non-stop! While exciting, and energizing, it is at the same time exhausting.

With so much to see and do, with so many wines and cheese and so little time, who wants to sleep?

Well, I want to sleep, but at the same time I want to do it all! With internet challenges, charging devices, packing and unpacking, travel from LAX to Rome then Rome east to Pescara, Abruzzo then north to the Veneto all takes time– and internet access which has been erratic at times. I’ve used a ton of data as I’ve navigated the cities and while traveling; it’s so necessary to navigate in Roma and today in Verona. Then I learned I had about used up all my data! Fortunately, my husband came to the rescue and added more data to my plan so I am back in business! 

Tinazzi Pinot Grigio wine and cheese– go with fresh like this Venetian asiago. The Ista is imported into the US; even better they are going organic estate wide.

Italian Wine, Italian Cheese in Italy

First, almost every where we have gone tasting on this press trip, we are offered cheese and prosciutto or other charcuterie to go with the wine tasting– and not just any cheese, but regional cheeses, incredible cheeses. Unless you’ve been to Italy, you would never guess there are SO MANY KINDS OF CHEESE– and so many kinds of Pecorino! 

And then of course, cheese seems to be integrated into just about every dish we eat from pizza to pasta and beyond. Read more here.

There’s so many more great wines paired with cheese from the wineries– I’ll try to add more when I get a chance!

Italian Wine, Italian Cheese in California

  • NV Ca’ Di Prata Prosecco DOC
  • 2020 Alvino Armani Corvara Pinot Grigio Valdiadige DOC
  • 2020 Santa Margherita Rosato Trevenezie IGT
  • 2019 Le Pianore Tiniatus Montecucco Rosso DOC

 

NV Ca’Di Prata Prosecco DOC

NV Ca’ Di Prata Brut Prosecco DOC

ABV: 11%
SRP: $16
Grapes: 85% Glera
sample for my review 

“Each single bottle holds the smell and warmth of our land, recounting our passion and experience,” they say.

Appearance: Pale gold, fairly large bubbles, 

Aroma: Upon opening the bottle, the aroma that comes out of the bottle is just amazingly lovely, fennel, lavender, and a burst of meadow freshness, in the glass it is equally lovely, fennel, meadow flowers, licorice, pollen, lime, 

Palate: Fresh lime, rosewater, bright minerality and acidity, nice lively character, nicely dry, slightly bitter on the finish, which is not unpleasant nearly refreshing, kind of like the bitterness of lime oil, or an apertiff, 

Pairing: Sue went straight to the LaTur for her first taste of food with this wine, and she was not disappointed. Fantastic with the crackers (think about how well champagne goes with potato chips) this is no exception. 

2020 Alvino Armani Corvara Pinot Grigio Valdiadige DOC with cheese in California

2020 Alvino Armani Corvara Pinot Grigio Valdiadige DOC

ABV: 12.5%
SRP: 
Grapes: Pinot Grigio
sample for my review 

Appearance:  Pale gold, straw, very clear

Aroma: Daisy, pollen, springtime, smells yellow and green, nicely complex, earthen minerals, clay, silt, 

Palate: Great balance, great mouthfeel, slick and silty, very clean and refreshing, tart citrus, eureka lemon, almost lemon lime, this is what I want out of a Pinot Grigio. Salty finish. 

Pairing: Absoutely perfect with our wine, think antipasti salad and this wine for a great starter course. Also so nice with our gnocchi it cuts right through the richness of the meal and is enhanced by the basil. Great with the LaTur and perfect with the truffled pecorino, such a great food wine for this menu. 

2020 Santa Margherita Rosato Trevenezie IGT in California with cheese

2020 Santa Margherita Rosato Trevenezie IGT

ABV: 12.5%
SRP: text
Grapes: 
sample for my review 

Appearance:  Copper, pale orange

Aroma: Subtle nose, more minerals than fruit, iron, a bit of strawberry, 

Palate: Tart bright and straight forward, strawberry, blood orange, lingering iron, smooth,

Pairing: While the truffled pecorino was not that great with the Terodego, it did work well with this wine. It loves the salty richness of the pecorino cheese. Very nice with the gnocchi, yum with the LaTur, even yummier with the prosciutto and salami as we know rose loves cured meat, let’s have a LaTur prosciutto sandwich. Great with the salad as well. 

 

 

2019 Le Pianore Tiniatus Montecucco Rosso DOC with cheese in California

2019 Le Pianore Tiniatus Montecucco Rosso DOC

ABV: 13.5%
SRP: $24
Grapes: Sangiovese and Merlot
sample for my review 

They say that Montecucco wines are “the truest expression of Tuscany’s organic farming” as 85% of Maremma producers are committed to growing grapes organically. Sangiovese dominates blends in both Montecucco Rosso DOC with a 60% minimum of Sangiovese and in Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG, 90% minimum Sangiovese. Oak, required by the DOC and DOCG production regulations, rounds tannins for more elegance. They recommend the wines with charcuterie of cured sausages and hard cheeses.

Appearance:  Translucent, raspberry with a corral rim

Aroma: Cherry, mint, cola, cherry cola, violets, earthworm rich loamy soil, 

Palate: Super tart bright cherry fruit, clay, cool palate you can feel the mint, 

Pairing: So lovely with the LaTur which enhances the bright cherry fruit in the wine. Fantastic with the truffled pecorino. So yummy with the salty prosciutto and salami, the wine cuts through the cheese richness of the gnocci and the the fresh basil garnish brings out the minty herbs in the wine. The basil oil on the salad also works so nicely with the wine. 

Prosecco and cheese

 

For more Wine and Cheese pairings, check out these other wine writers:

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