I’m convinced that my obsession with wine and food can be attributed to fifty percent of my ancestral composition – the Italian half. I suppose I should credit the other half (Irish) with my fondness for stronger beverages, and for blarney – my penchant for long-winded descriptions of things (like wine and food) most normal people simply consume.
So, on this most revered of Italian American weekends, when we celebrate Christopher Columbus – we’ll take a look at a special Italian wine, its versatility in pairing with a multitude of dishes, and its lofty standing in the world of wine. Unfortunately, most of us think Italian wines should only be served with Italian foods like pasta in a red sauce. But what I love most about Italian wine is its tremendous diversity in pairing with a whole host of foods. Within the geographic confines of its 20 regions, Italy produces a virtual sea of wine from a dizzying array of grapes.
Today
I’ll
tell
you
about
a
wine
that
is
arguably
one
of
the
most
revered
and
coveted
bottles
on
earth
–
Barolo.
Nestled
in
the
northwest
corner
of
the
country
and
in
the
shadow
of
the
Alps,
Barolo
is
a
dark,
tannic
and
full-bodied
wine
that
can
improve
over
an
extended
period.
Another
famous
red
wine
of
the
region
is
Barbaresco
which
is
made
from
the
same
grape
(nebbiolo)
as
Barolo,
but
the
flavors
and
intensity
of
the
two
wines
are
completely
different.
Barolo
is
a
wine
which
can
take
decades
to
mature
while
Barbaresco
is
a
lighter
colored
and
less
intense
version
of
nebbiolo
that
is
more
approachable
in
its
youth
than
Barolo.
The
fertile
soil
of
Piedmont
also
produces
several
other
excellent
red
wines
such
as
Barbera
and
Dolcetto,
and
is
also
home
to
a
number
of
white
wines,
including
Gavi
and
Arneis,
both
of
which
feature
light,
bright,
fruit-
forward
flavors.
Barolo
is
named
after
the
town
around
which
the
grapes
are
grown.
For
a
wine
to
be
labeled
Barolo,
it
must
be
made
in
the
geographical
confines
of
that
government-designated
appellation.
In
addition,
Barolo
must
be
aged
for
two
years
in
oak
barrels
and
one
year
in
the
bottle
before
it
can
be
released
for
sale.
Barolos
can
range
in
price
from
about
$40
to
several
hundred
dollars
a
bottle.
One
way
I’ve
found
to
speed
up
drinkability
of
young
Barolo
is
to
decant
the
wine
for
extended
periods.
For
wines
under
10
years
old,
I
will
pour
them
into
a
carafe
for
up
to
12
hours
before
consuming
them.
Two
of
my
favorite
Barolo
labels
Here
are
some
of
my
favorite
Barolo
producers
to
look
for:
Poderi
Luigi
Einaudi
2020
Ludo
($50);
2020
Borgogno
Barolo
($70);
2019
Eraldo
Viberti
Barolo
($58);
2019
Pertinace
Barolo
($34);
2018
Pio
Cesare
Barolo
($80);
and
2020
Bruno
Giacosa
Barolo
($135).
So,
what
foods
can
stand
up
to
such
full-bodied
red
wines?
As
the
original
home
of
the
“slow
food”
movement,
the
Piemontese
believe
in
using
local
and
seasonal
ingredients
as
the
centerpiece
of
the
meals
they
consume.
In
the
fall,
mushrooms
and
squash
along
with
red
and
yellow
peppers
predominate
along
with
rich,
hearty
and
flavorful
dishes
like
roasted
beef,
pork,
lamb
or
game
pair
especially
well
with
Barolo.
In
addition,
pasta
with
earthy
and
intense
foods
like
truffles
and
mushrooms
are
also
excellent
accompaniments
to
the
wine.
Piedmont’s
most
famous
culinary
delight
is
the
white
truffle
–
an
aromatic,
very
expensive
delicacy
that
looks
like
a
stone,
is
hunted
and
sniffed
out
by
trained
dogs,
and
then
surreptitiously
dug
up
by
devious
sorts
who
would
rather
see
their
first
born
taken
by
gypsies
than
give
up
the
location
of
their
buried
treasure.
On
my
last
trip
to
the
region,
I
passed
on
the
white
truffles
and
instead
feasted
on
less
expensive
fare
that
paired
just
as
well
with
the
reason
for
my
visit
–
Barolo!
John
Brown
is
also
a
novelist.
His
latest
book
–
Augie’s
Wine
–is
now
available
to
order
online
or
at
his
website
wordsbyjohnbrown.com.
His
first
two
books–
Augie’s
War
and
Augie’s
World
–
are
also
available
online
and
at
bookstores
around
the
state.
You
can
find
out
more
about
his
novels,
and
review
all
his
archived
Vines
&
Vittles
columns
at
wordsbyjohnbrown.com