Life as we know it would not be complete without wine, and pairing wine with food is an art form in itself. While it may be easy to find perfect matches in a restaurant with the help of a sommelier, what about when you’re at home? Luckily Aurore Lagadec, Restaurant & Bar Manager at Sopwell House, has shared her top tips for pairing Italian wine with food.
Prosecco
Perfect Pairing: Antipasti
Prosecco is best enjoyed as an aperitif to accompany stuzzichini (Italian nibbles) such as cured meats, buffalo mozzarella with cherry tomatoes, black olive tapenade and toasted rosemary foccacia.
Pinot Grigio
Perfect Pairing: Spaghetti Carbonara
This white wine is light on the palate with a delicate citrus flavour. The crisp minerality and freshness of Pinot Grigio enables it to cut through the richness of the parmesan and egg in the carbonara sauce.
Soave
Perfect Pairing: Seafood Risotto
Soave is one of the world’s easiest wines to pair with food due to its high natural acidity and low alcohol. Produced in a wine region in Northern Veneto, it works well with fish and seafood, due to the area’s close proximity to the coast.
Chianti
Perfect Pairing: Steak Carpaccio
The red fruit and herbaceous flavour of Chianti makes it the perfect partner to dishes that use olive oil or with red meats. Enjoy a glass of Chianti with a steak carpaccio served simply with a rocket salad.
Montepulciano
Perfect Pairing: Roasted Vegetables
This medium-bodied red wine is one of Italy’s most popular grapes. Its robust flavour pairs well with roasted vegetables such as sweet potatoes, parsnips or beetroot.
Sopwell House is a stunning 18th Century Georgian house located in the city of St. Albans deep within the Hertfordshire countryside. Located only 20 minutes from London St. Pancras, the hotel is the idyllic getaway just outside of the hustle and bustle of the capital. The hotel is the perfect place to dine boasting a 2AA Rosette restaurant, a vibrant Brasserie, an elegant cocktail lounge, and conservatory bar, all of which look out on 12-acres of beautiful gardens.
Sopwell House, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, AL1 2HQFor reservations, please call: 01727 864477
