pairing wine & cheese italian style

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Pairing Wine with Cheese Starring Italy

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Pairing Wine & Cheese Here are a few basic guidelines: Salty with Sweet The salty flavor of blue cheeses, and even some washed rind cheeses, balances out the sweetness of dessert wines, and vice versa. Try Stilton with Port or Epoisses with Sauternes...

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Page 1: Pairing Wine & Cheese Italian Style

Pairing Wine

with Cheese Starring Italy

Page 2: Pairing Wine & Cheese Italian Style

Vino e Formaggio Italiano "Wine and Cheese - Italian"

What is Cheese Anyway?

Cheese is a rather general term describing curdled milk (or cream). To curdle

milk means to separate the whey from the curds. Milk proteins (casein) are os-

tensibly broken in half. One half precipitates out of the milk, becoming a solid

(the curds). The other half remains liquid (the whey), though it ceases to be

white. The distinction between true cheese and things like cream cheese, sour

cream, mascarpone, creme fraiche, etc. is the way in which the milk is curdled.

Milk can be curdled either by acid and/or by rennet. To be considered a true

cheese (e.g. cheddar, swiss, brie, et. al.), acid AND rennet coagulation (i.e. cur-

dling) is required.

First, a culture is added to the milk (or is already present in the milk in the case

of some raw milk cheeses). This culture "ferments" the milk, slowly lowering the

pH (raising the acidity) of the milk. Then, rennet is added - this is an enzyme de-

rived from the fourth stomach chamber of an unweaned ruminant animal (e.g. a

calf, kid, or lamb). This enzyme literally breaks apart the proteins in the milk, an

action facilitated by the presence of acid (and heat), and separates the milk into

curds and whey. The whey is poured off (either to make ricotta, or to feed to

hogs). The curds are then cut, releasing more whey, drained, and molded (this is

a gross simplification - most of the textural variations in cheese stem from this

process). At this point, the curds have become cheese.

False cheeses like creme fraiche, mascarpone, sour cream, etc. are curdled very

lightly and without the use of rennet. The acid required can be produced by

natural or added bacteria, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. The variations in the acid-

curdled "cheeses" come from the extent of acidification, coagulation, variations

in fat content, types of cultures, etc. For example, creme fraiche is cream (thus,

high in fat) that is lightly coagulated (lower acidity). Sour cream is cream that is

more heavily coagulated. This slight difference in acidity and cultures will cause

sour cream to fully curdle (i.e. turn chunky) when boiled, whereas creme fraiche

will not.

Page 3: Pairing Wine & Cheese Italian Style

Pairing Wine & Cheese

Here are a few basic guidelines:

Salty with Sweet

The salty flavor of blue cheeses, and even some washed rind cheeses, bal-

ances out the sweetness of dessert wines, and vice versa. Try Stilton with Port

or Epoisses with Sauternes.

Regional

Try pairing cheese and wine produced in the same region. Manchego or

Zamarano with Albariño wine, and Beecher's Flagship Reserve Cheddar with a

Washington state Syrah are examples of regional pairings that work well.

Hard with Tannic

Harder types of cheese such as cheddar or Parmesan can handle more tannic

wines. Although certain tannicy wines pair well with creamier cheeses such as

Brie.

Acidity with Acidity

Repeat after me: Goat cheese and Sauvignon Blanc. You will not be disap-

pointed. Why? The acidity in goat cheese gives it a tangy zip that matches

perfectly with the crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blancs. Try French Selles-sur-Cher

with Sancerre.

Rich and Creamy with Bubbles

If the only reason for this pairing is complete decadence, so be it. Champagne

or any sparkling wine paired with a rich, creamy cheese is one of life's great

pleasures. Try it with the Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam or a wedge of rich,

dense Gruyere.

The pairing of cheese and wine is undoubtedly one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Yet, cheese can enhance or ruin a good wine in a heartbeat, and vice versa.

Page 4: Pairing Wine & Cheese Italian Style

Today, we will focus on REGIONAL with Italy!

Italian cheeses are made mainly from cows milk, but a few are also

made from sheep milk, goats milk and the famous mozzarella cheese is

made from buffalo milk.

The most famous cheeses are produced and marketed under the Pro-

tected Designation of Origin (PDO) system which defines the area

where the cheese is produced and the methods of production used.

The list below shows how most Italian regions have several cheeses. A

few are produced in two or more adjoining regions, for example Cacio-

cavallo Silano is produced in several southern Italian regions.

Aosta Valley Fontina, Valle d’Aosta

Fromadzo

Basilicata Caciocavallo Silano, Pe-

corino di Filiano

Calabria Caciocavallo Silano

Campamia Mozzarella di Bufala Cam-

pana, Caciocavallo Silano, Provo-

lone del Monaco

Emilia-Romagna Formaggio di Fossa

di Sogliano, Grana Padano, Par-

migiano-Reggiano, Provolone Val-

padana

Friuli-Venezia Giulia Montasio

Lazio Mozzarella di Bufala Campana,

Pecorino Romano, Ricotta Ro-

mana

Lombardy Bitto, Formaggella del Lu-

inese, Formai de Mut from Alta

Valle Brembana, Gorgonzola,

Grana Padano, Parmigiano-

Reggiano, Provolone Valpadana,

Quartirolo Lombardo, Taleggio,

Valtellina Casera

Marche Casciotta d'Urbino, Formaggio di Fossa

di Sogliano

Molise Caciocavallo Silano,

Piedmont Bra, Castelmagno, Gorgonzola, Grana

Padano, Murazzano, Raschera, Robiola di

Roccaverano, Taleggio , Toma Piemontese

Puglia Caciocavallo Silano, Canestrato Pugliese

Sardinia Fiore Sardo, Pecorino

Romano,Pecorino Sardo

Sicily Pecorino Siciliano, Piacentinu Ennese , Ra-

gusano, Vastedda della valle del Belìce

Trentino-Alto Aldige Asiago, Grana Padano,

Provolone Valpadana, Spressa delle Giudi-

carie, Stelvio or Stilfser

Tuscany Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscano

Veneto Asiago, Casatella Trevigiana, Grana Padano,

Monte Veronese, Piave, Provolone Valpadana,

Taleggio

Page 5: Pairing Wine & Cheese Italian Style

TODAY’S PAIRINGS

Emotivo Prosecco paired with Asiago Cheese

This sparkling wine is aromatic and fresh with lemon pear and apple flavors. Lively and crisp on the palate with a dry and re-

freshing finish. Asiago (ah-zee-AH-goh) is a cow's milk cheese first made in the northern Veneto region of Italy. It’s crafted in two flavor

and texture profiles. One is Pressato, the fresh Asiago. The other is the big flavored aged Asiago, Asiago d'Allevo. The

fresher version will be a light straw color; with a semi-soft texture plus it will taste mild and a bit sweet. As this cheese

ages, it becomes a darker color and delivers a sharper and nuttier sensation. The texture also becomes harder so you can

grate it on or in your favorite dish. Asiago is a pleasing substitute for Parmesan.

Maretima Pinot Grigio paired with Santa Teresa

The bouquet has scents of sage, lemon verbena, green apple with hints of tropical fruit (banana, and pineapple). The palate is

savory, fresh, medium-bodied with a pleasant acidity. Ideal for aperitifs, pairs well also with vegetables soups, fish and goat

cheese.

Santa Theresa is a young, mild Pecorino Sardo Dolce cheese from Italy that s treasured for its delicate flavor. It s only

aged 30-40 days, so you can taste the gentle hints of green grasses and herbs that the sheep pastured on, along with

lemony aromas and subtle hints of thyme. Smooth, creamy texture and sweet flavor make this a great choice for anti-

pasto, baked pasta dishes and on salads. Milk: Sheep. Origin: Italy.

Emotivo Rosso paired with Taleggio

Deep ruby red with violet highlights. The bouquet is slightly spicy and fruity with hints of tobacco, blackberries, blueberries and

mulberries. Ripe fruity flavors of cherries and plums with rounded tannins.

Taleggio is produced from curds of cow milk, pasteurized or not, which are cut into small pieces and then transferred to 8

inch square molds. They are then washed with brine and transferred to aging rooms, or in the case of the most traditional

producers, caves where air from the original ripening caves circulates. The brining process continues weekly during the

35-40 day aging process and the beneficial mold that develops is continually scraped and pressed back into the cheese

causing it to develop an edible thin, pink-gold colored rind with small dark mold spots. Taleggio, like most washed-rind

cheeses, has a mild, fruity flavor but an extremely pungent aroma, redolent with mushrooms, yeast and earth. It is most

frequently eaten on its own, although it’s creamy texture permits blending into the risotto and polenta dishes of the re-

gion.

Maretima Nero d'Avola paired with Ubriaco del Piave PO-SI

This wine has an intense perfume, with hints of violet, clove, small well-matured red and black fruits with notes of black pepper.

Pairs with grilled, roasted and braised meats.

Ubriaco means drunk or drunken in Italian. It can also be spelled Umbriaco. This cheese originates from ancient times in

the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy when Olive Oil was scarce and expensive. Grape pomace and wine was plentiful

after harvest and was substituted to preserve cheese.

Ubriaco is a hard cheese made from cow's milk, which is soaked in wine and covered with the crushed grape skins (grape

pomace – the remains from pressing) for a period of time (days/weeks). The cheese is then allowed to further mature for

six to ten months. It results in a cheese with a pale yellow-gold color, with a dark purple to light violet rind (depending on

the grapes and age) and firm, slightly crumbly texture and some tiny holes.

Maretima Chianti paired with Fontina val D’Aosta and Fulvi Geniune Pecorino Romano

Bright ruby red in color. On the nose it presents notes of red and black berry fruit. The palate is round and soft with a pleasant

freshness, slightly tannic.

Pecorino Toscano cheese (Tuscan pecorino) is a hard ewe’s milk cheese produced in Tuscany, and is made with full cream

and pasteurized ewe's milk.

Fontina is the symbol of agriculture in Italy's tiny, French speaking Aosta Valley region. The cows that produce the milk for

Fontina Val d'Aosta graze on high-altitude Alpine pastures dotted with wildflowers and native herbs. Fontina is a great

cooking cheese, as it melts evenly without losing any flavor. Extremely aromatic (some might say "stinky"), Fontina is best

noted for its value as a savory and fruity table cheese, its slightly grassy flavor embodies the taste of a true raw milk

cheese. Made from unpasteurized cow's milk, aged 90 days.

Ca del Monte Valpolicella paired with Gorgonzola

Ruby red, with garnet notes. The bouquet is slightly spicy, floral and fruity, with hints of iris, violet, almond and berries. The pal-

ate is silky, warm and elegant, with oak notes in the end.

Gorgonzola is one of the world’s oldest blue-veined cheeses. The Cheese is mainly produced in the northern Italian re-

gions of Piedmont and Lombardy, Gorgonzola. Unskimmed cow’s milk is used while preparing the cheese. Generally it

takes three to four months to attain full ripeness.

This cheese has crumbly and soft texture with nutty aroma. It can have a mild to sharp taste depending on its age. Gor-

gonzola Dolce (also called Sweet Gorgonzola) and Gorgonzola Piccante (also called Gorgonzola Naturale, Gorgonzola

Montagna, or Mountain Gorgonzola) are its two varieties, which vary in their age.

Page 6: Pairing Wine & Cheese Italian Style

This mini publication is brought to you

by The Wine Cellars, Inc.

Written and Edited by Reneé Rowe Copyright ©2013 Renee’ Rowe.

All rights reserved.