WHEN slowly cooking delicate veggies, you can’t go too big with the wine choice. As ever, the weight of the wine should match the weight of the dish. So this week we’re embracing subtlety.
Most braised vegetables would sit more happily alongside a dry white wine with good acidity than they would a red. Minerality and a good herbaceousness are qualities that will work better than lush, rich tropical fruit and oakiness, so avoid big New World Chardonnays.
A good place to start is the Campania region in southern Italy. Here you will find Falanghina, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo growing in the beautiful countryside surrounding Sorrento in the Bay of Naples. The soil here has a volcanic element which adds a great minerality and gravitas to the wine. This adds depth and complexity to your glass and really opens up the food-matching possibilities for your dinner table.
Look out for producers such as Feudi di San Gregorio, Antonio Caggiano and Colli di Lapio for a guarantee of quality and value across the range.
The Caggiano winery is situated in Taurasi where some of the best reds of the region are produced. Their reds are spectacular, but the whites are the ones that get me really excited. Try a bottle of the Falanghina IGT 2013 (Inverarity One to One, £15.99) with Geoff’s braised vegetables and you won’t be disappointed. This is a super ‘go-to’ white that you should always have on standby in your fridge.
Also worth a look is the Triade Bianco 2013 (Waitrose, £8.99). This is a blend of Falanghina, Fiano and Greco and it’s instantly approachable and exceedingly gluggable as well as being fantastic value for money. It’s a great introduction to the region.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow. www.inverarity121.com
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