Easy Italian Recipes

Molise Rosso Riserva D.O.C.
Written by Gaetano Galasso, Slow Food sommelier, I - II - III Level

Questa tipologia di vino, come si evince dal nome stesso, è prodotta nella regione Molise tra le province di Campobasso ed Isernia. Questa piccolissima ed incantevole regione del centro sud Italia ha ricevuto la sua prima e tuttora unica D.O.C. nel 1982 proprio con il Molise Rosso Riserva, ma negli ultimi anni sta facendo passi da gigante nell’enologia nazionale con ottime produzioni sicuramente di livello sia tra i rossi sia tra i bianchi.

Vitigno: Il vitigno principale è il Montepulciano che deve essere presente con una percentuale minima dell’85%, per la restante parte può concorrere unicamente uva a bacca simile raccomandata ed autorizzata in Regione.

Vista: Si presenta con colore rosso rubino con riflessi violacei tendente al granata con l’invecchiamento.

Olfatto: risulta gradevole mettendo in evidenza note di sottobosco e marasca con sentori speziati. La gradazione alcolica minima è di 11% vol., ma è sempre ampiamente superata.

Gusto: risulta un vino corposo, ricco, pieno e intenso ma di grande armonia con sentori di sottobosco, frutta matura, prugna, legno tostato e vaniglia dovuti al passaggio in botte.

Abbinamenti: Cacciagione, cinghiale, lepre, carni rosse, stracotti, brasati,  stufati e formaggi (caciocavallo molisano).

Temperatura di servizio: 18°

Calice: Bordolese

The diversity of wines on offer in Italy is remarkable. All the wine regions - which cover the country like a mottled patchwork stocking - have clung to their own traditions, and usually have a proud adherence to local grape varieties. This means that today Italy makes wine from about two hundred different grapes, ranging from the familiar Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese to the tantalisingly obscure Tintilia, Timorasso, Casavecchia and Pignol.
Approaches to winemaking are varied too - fiercely traditional in some places and determinedly modern in others. Put all the variables together and you have a head-spinning choice of wine, from the simple and rustic (the liquid equivalent of a homemade pizza, say) to the suave and sophisticated. Steady improvements in quality over the past decade are another plus. None of this means that it is compulsory to serve Italian wine with Italian food, of course - but what a pity not to!

Italy's finest classic wines - all well known - are mainly red. They include the Piedmont legends Barolo and Barbaresco, based on the tar-and-rosepetal-scented grape Nebbiolo, and the super-concentrated Amarone, made in the Veneto from partially dried grapes. Then there are the best Chianti Riservas and Tuscany's other Sangiovese stars, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. Like most treat wines, these shine with simple food that allows the wine to be the focus of attention - serve them with roast beef, fillet steak, venison or wild boar. Except for Amarone, which is so sweetly luscious that it often tastes best at the end of a meal, served with a chunk of Parmesan or all by itself.

The style of many top reds like these has changed in recent years. They have become fruitier, richer and smoother in texture - less austere. More controversially, some are strongly stamped with the cedar and mocha notes of new French oak barrels, the favourite fashion accessory of swish wineries the world over. In Tuscany, however, the pendulum is swinging back towards tradition. The SuperTuscans - internationally acclaimed wines like Tignanello, Sassicaia and Ornellaia, incorporating Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - are these days somewhat overshadowed by pure expressions of Sangiovese. All well and good... but darned expensive. What about the more affordable end of the spectrum? The picture couldn't be more positive. Interesting, well-priced wines of all descriptions are arriving on our shelves from every part of Italy. Some regions which until recently suffered from a poor image have raised their game and begun to prove how impressive their wines can be: Valpolicella and Soave are prime examples. Others have emerged from semi-obscurity to refocus attention on their exciting heirloom grape varieties: Collio close to Slovenia, for instance, with its racy Ribolla Gialla; Campania with a mineral-edged Greco di Tufo, floral Fiano and pineappley Falanghina; Sicily with chocolatey Nero d'Avola; and Puglia with chunky Negroamaro, to name but a tiny handful.

Although central Italy is producing a wider assortment of unusual wines than before, especially in the Marche and Abruzzo, the cool north and sunbaked south are the real pacesetters. The north-west is as significant as the north-east for revitalised whites: Piedmont's Arneis and improved (but not necessarily expensive) Gavi are counterpoints to Lombardy's Lugana and the Veneto's Bianco di Custoza. Surprisingly, the south, home of robust reds, is also proving adept at delicious whites, particularly in Campania. Fashion has played a role in Italy's wine renaissance. Even non-drinkers know about the rollicking success of Prosecco and Pinot Grigio (some good, but much of it as flavourless and forgettable as industrial mozzarella).

The focus on previously little-known grapes and regions, combined with a wealth of familiar styles, creates a range of possibilities so broad that it may seem baffling. Charged with finding the right wine for a particular dish, how are frazzled cooks to find shortcuts through the maze? The first tip is to zone in on the region from which a dish originated (if it has regional roots - and many do). You know, for example, that risotto belongs to northern Italy, so, depending on the ingredients, team it with a light white or red wine from the north. White Bianco di Custoza or Soave Classico would be just right for a Risotto with Seafood or a Spring Risotto of green vegetables, while red Dolcetto or Valpolicella Classico would harmonise perfectly with a Borlotti Bean and Sausage Risotto. Similarly, pasta dishes with punchy flavours like anchovies, chilli and capers hail from the south and suit a robust red from Italy's foot or heel (like Puglia's Salice Salentino), or from Sicily or Sardinia. The natural flavour affinity between local foods and local grapes is difficult to beat.

Don't panic, though, if you are unable to pin a dish down by its region. Look at it this way: you now have the perfect excuse to come up with some intriguing combinations of your own, and this is where the true fun of food and-wine-matching lies. For best results follow two basic rules. First, match the weight of the wine with the weight of the dish. Light, delicate food requires light, delicate wine, while rich flavours on the plate need to be balanced with weighty concentration in the glass. This may sound insultingly obvious, but it is often lost sight of, especially at dinner parties when there may be an urge to serve blockbuster wines, no matter what is on the menu.

Once this balancing act has determined roughly the style of wine you are aiming for, think about specific flavours. A beef stew made with tomatoes will taste good with a tangy young Barbera, for example - picking up on the fresh acidity of the tomatoes. A beef casserole with mushrooms will have other requirements. An older wine - a Chianti, perhaps, with its earthy edge - should have developed faint mushroom or truffle notes which will gloriously amplify the flavours of the dish. Let's look at a few more possibilities suggested by recipes in the book. I'd choose a light, zesty white for Spaghetti al limone; there's enough richness in the cream already. Lobster Spaghetti or Lobster Mezzelune on the other hand call for a partner with substance - a decent Gavi or a generously flavoursome Greco di Tufo. Calf's Liver with Onions would be delicious with a subtle northern Pinot Nero, while Tuscan Rabbit with Olives would be well matched by a rustic middleweight, such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
Remember, the main ingredient in a dish won't necessarily point towards the perfect wine by itself; consider its accompanying elements, too. Even salad dressings may hold clues - lemon suggesting lighter, tangier wines than balsamic, which marries with richer flavours. But it's a mistake to get too precious about food and wine partnerships. If you feel befuddled, just bear in mind that virtually all Italian wines taste better with food; that fact should carry you comfortably across a confusing morass of minor subtleties.

To puddings, finally. Everybody knows Tuscany's powerful amber Vin Santo (it's best with panforte or little cantucci biscuits - it can overwhelm tiramisu). But do try some of Italy's other dessert wines, such as Marsala (good with toffee flavours) or Recioto. The white Recioto di Soave is yummy with baked peaches and is generally cake and caramel-friendly, while Recioto della Valpolicella, the sweet red cousin of Amarone, is good with blue cheese or dark chocolate. If all these concentrated sweeties sound a bit too overpowering, a good-quality Moscato d'Asti may be the answer - brilliantly low in alcohol and wonderfully palate-cleansing, especially with tongue- clinging desserts like meringues, zabaglione, souffles or ice cream.

Having chosen your wine carefully, it's worth taking the trouble to serve it with panache. The Italians, after all, are masters of style - not just pioneers of today's tall, elegantly tapered wine bottles and design-led labels, but schooled to serve even modest wine with such a flourish that it often tastes way better than it should. Follow their lead. Choose generous, tulip-shaped glasses: this shape helps to trap the aromas that are so central to the enjoyment of wine. This gives your guests a head-start as they breathe in those quintessentially Italian smells - lemons and almonds, perhaps, in the whites, and the heady scent of damp earth and cherries in the reds.

Don't serve white wines too cold (only sparkling and sweet wines should be at fridge temperature; everything else benefits from a few more degrees), or reds too warm (above 1 TO they may taste syrupy and flat). And don't fill glasses higher than the widest point of the tulip, leaving plenty of space to swirl and release the precious aromas that intensify a wine's taste. (Swirling is not pretentious, by the way. The popularity of wine-appreciation classes has made it commonplace, thank goodness.) Well-filled wine glasses may appear generous, but most wine enthusiasts consider them naff.

After all those do's and don'ts, I've saved the most crucial advice for last. Be adventurous. Try styles you have never tasted before as often as you can. You may not strike gold every time, but you'll unearth some thrilling finds, every one different from the rest. With all its complications — scores of regions, hundreds of grapes, thousands of estates — Italy makes that as easy as pie.