I’m on a journey to learn more about Italian wines, starting in Northern Italy. My goal is not only the wine adventure, but also to share what I discover along the way. To learn more about wine is to drink it and enjoy it with food around a table with family and friends. Diving deeper into wine — knowing where it is grown, how it is produced, and the people who craft it gives us a greater understanding and connection to what’s in the glass.
A quote from Rowan Jacobsen, an American Writer, I came across in Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible perfectly highlights how I feel about wine.
“Wine trains us to think about the natural world and how place, time, people, and experience are powerfully connected. That’s how meaning is created.”
Come with me and explore the amazing world of wine beyond what’s just in the glass.
Piemonte
My Italian wine journey starts in Piemonte, located in northwestern Italy. Piemonte means “at the foot of the mountain” and is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Ligurian Apennines and Maritime Alps to the south, the Alps bordering France to the west, and Valle d’Aosta and Switzerland to the north. To the east, Piemonte is landlocked by Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna.
Roero Arneis
Arneis is a white grape variety native to the Roero Hills. It was once almost extinct but was rescued in the 1970s by two prominent wine estates, Vietti and Bruno Giacosa. The Roero Hills are northwest of Alba and on the left bank of the Tanaro River. The main appellation of the Roero Hills is the Roero DOCG, focusing mainly on Arneis and Nebbiolo. Arneis holds the majority of the plantings over Nebbiolo.
The profile of Arneis is aromatic with floral, apricot, pear, and almond notes. The body and acidity are generally medium.
Bruno Giacosa
Bruno Giacosa was a third-generation winemaker from the Langhe wine region in Piemonte. He joined the family business at 15 and established a reputation for crafting outstanding single-vineyard Barolo and Barbaresco wines. He was instrumental in establishing Piemonte as a leading wine region. As mentioned above, he brought the Arneis indigenous grape variety back from near extinction along with Vietti. Bruno passed away in 2018. His daughter Bruna, now the fourth generation, continues her father’s legacy.
Wine Tasting Notes
2023 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis DOCG
13.5% abv | $37.99 wine.com| 100% Arneis
Fresh with aromas of pears and chamomile. On the palate, medium bodied and acidity. Notes of lemon, tarragon, a stony minerality, and bitter almond. The mouthfeel is round with a lingering finish.
Food Pairing Notes
Italian Tuna Salad
My first pairing is an Italian Tuna Salad with fresh farmers market mixed greens, cannellini beans, celery, red pepper, and green olives. The wine’s fresh character with lemon and mineral notes matches the salad’s freshness. The vinaigrette is light enough not to overpower the medium acidity in the wine. The creamy cannellini beans complement the smooth texture of the wine. Finally, the tuna is in balance with the weight (13.5% abv) of the wine.
Shrimp Risotto with Peas and Mint
My second pairing a Shrimp Risotto with Peas and Mint. The fresh elements of mint, spring peas, and lemon harmonize with the freshness of the wine. The creamy richness of the risotto and the mineral notes of the shrimp highlight similar notes in the wine.
Italian Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 7.76 oz White Tuna in olive oil, drained I used Ortiz tuna --it comes in a glass jar
- 4 medium celery hearts, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup cannellini beans, cooked and rinsed
- 1/3 cup green olives , sliced
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4-5 handfuls mixed salad greens, including radicchio
Instructions
- In a jar mix the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl add the tuna and flake it with a fork. Add the celery, red bell pepper, cannellini beans, olives, and parsley. Gently mix. Add just enough vinaigrette to moisten the tuna and vegetables.
- In bowl, add the mixed greens and toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens.
- To serve, divide the mixed greens between 4 shallow bowls. Top the vegetables and tuna mixture between the 4 bowls. Drizzle with a little more vinaigrette.
Shrimp Risotto with Peas and Mint
Ingredients
Sautéing the Shrimp
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, chilled
- 1½ lb. shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined I used Costco Wild Argentine Red Shrimp 20/40 shrimp per pound.
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
For the Risotto
- 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 3+ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup shallots, finely minced
- 2 cups Vialone Nano Rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups fresh garden peas or frozen organic petite peas
- 1/4 cup butter, chilled, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 cup Reggiano Parmigiano, freshly grated, divided
- mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the shrimp sauté until pink and cooked through. Add zest and juice from one lemon. Set aside.
- In a large bottomed high sided pot ( I used an enameled cast iron Le Creuset round 8 qt pot), heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the rice. Stirring to mix and coat the rice. When the rice is opaque and makes a faint popping sound about 2-3 minutes add the wine. Stir until the wine has evaporates about 1-2 minutes.
- With a large ladle, add about one cup of broth and stir continuously, until the broth has almost evaporated. Continue to add more broth one cup at a time until it is nearly cooked off before adding the next cup. Near the end, the risotto will look soupy but keep stirring. The entire process takes about 15-20 minutes. After you have added all the broth, remove the pot from the burner. Stir in the peas, shrimp, and cold butter. Add 1/2 cup grated parmigiano.
- To serve, portion in bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of parmigiano. Garnish with mint leaves.
Sources Used:
Folio Wine
Wine Scholar Guild
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