I Love Italian Regional Cooking - Pairing Sardinia Cuisine With Red Wine
Great Sardinian food, fine Sardinian or other red wine...Sardinia is an island to the southwest of Rome. Visit this lovely island for a different view of Italy. You’ll see sights like nowhere else on earth, for example the prehistoric stone structures known as Nuraghi. As everywhere in Italy, local and regional food and wine specialties abound. And if your pockets are full, you can even hobnob with the jet set.
Nuraghi, you'll have to go to Sardinia to see them.
If you like lamb, you’ll love Agnello con finocchietti (Baby Lamb Stew) whose star ingredient is fennel, wild fennel if you can get it. Pair this meal with Aglianico del Vulture DOC from Basilicata.
A related dish is Agnellino al Forno (Roasted Milk-Fed Lamb) which is especially popular at Easter. Fine wine pairings include Barolo DOCG from Piedmont and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from Tuscany.
Spezzatinu de Sirboni (Wild Boar Stew) is sometimes made with Pecorino Cheese and Juniper Berries. Enjoy this great dish with the local Cannonau di Sardegna DOC or the Aglianico del Vulture DOC. I know which of these two wines I prefer and as much as I like going local, in my opinion the Aglianico is in a different league from the Cannonau.
Roasted Quail, a real Sardinian specialty.
You’ll enjoy Quaglie Arrosto (Roasted Quail) prepared with a dry white wine such as a local Vernaccia di Oristano DOC. Suggested wine pairings include the Tuscan Barolo DOCG and Italian Pinot Nero.
Porcheddu (Roast Suckling Pig) is a Sardinian specialty made with myrtle, rosemary, and ideally wild Sardinian herbs. The classic wine pairing for this delicious festive dish is Cannonau di Sardegna DOC but I’d be tempted to try a Tuscany Chianti Classico DOCG or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, recommended for the central Italian suckling pig dish known as Porchetta.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Check out his global wine website at www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing $10 wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines. Check out his Italian wine website at www.theitalianwineconnection.com.
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