A Taste of Place
I’ll never forget touring the vineyards overlooking the town of Strekov, Slovakia, near sunset. The winemaker opened a fresh vintage of his white wine and served it alongside a crudité of vegetables from his garden with a homemade vinaigrette made from a pumpkin seed oil that he’d harvested. There’s something sublime about eating and drinking locally. Alice Waters advised in the forward to Richard Olney’s Lulu’s Provençal Table to “look first to the garden and vineyard for inspiration.” Today, we can re-create this philosophy by pairing regional wine and food. When it comes to composing these culinary companions, there’s a maxim worth noting: what grows together, goes together. Here are three such suggestions.
2021 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy. Acclaimed winemaker Elisabetta Fagiuoli reinvigorated this estate (which dates to Roman times) in the 1960s. She embraces the delicate and crisp nature of Vernaccia, and this white wine marries well with panzanella, a salad of tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow peppers, red onion, basil, Italian bread, and capers tossed with a simple vinaigrette. *Sold Out. Try the 2020 Tauss Weissburgunder Vom Opok
2023 Ameztoi Rubentis Rosé, Getaria, Spain. This spritely rosé from Spain’s Basque region is a pure hydration station. It is a field blend of the indigenous Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza varieties, grown on traditional trellises high on the slopes rising above Getaria. Given the abundant seafood nearby, these wines pair well with fish, including sashimi, squid ink pasta, and the essence of the sea: raw oysters.
2022 Arnaud Baillot, Burgundy, France. The Burgundy region is the holy grail of Pinot Noir. This airy, red fruited Pinot is from the overlooked village of Santenay. The simplest and most indulgent pairing is a savory wheel of the Burgundian cheese, Époisses. Make it a complete meal with a fresh baguette and a green salad.
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