The multifaceted wine: the combination that surprises in the kitchen and in the glass.

Dear foodies, today we are taking you on a culinary journey that will engage your senses and your imagination. Who said that wine is only suitable to accompany food? We have a surprise for you: wine itself can be the secret ingredient that turns a dish into an unforgettable experience. Prepare to penetrate the meanders of food and wine pairing, where the nectar of the gods also becomes the chef at your table. And if pairing obsesses you and you want more ideas, don’t miss our article exploring the wonderful world of tea pairings 

We wonder what can excite the senses more than the perfect combination of a fine dish and a fine wine? A famous French chef, Julia Child, used to say that ‘in cooking, as in love, you have to trust your senses’ and we couldn’t agree more. But today we will go further, because we are not just talking about tasting a fine wine while savouring a delicious dish, but about a culinary experience that combines wine in both the cooked dish and the glass. And if this experiment tickles your fancy, why not try it again with brasserie cuisine? What do we mean? Yes, that you can also cook with beer, discover here how much goodness.

Perhaps you are wondering how it is possible to use the same wine for both cooking and tasting. Well, in the kitchen the possibilities are endless and creativity knows no bounds, you just have to know how to dare, in this case we are asking you for an absolutely non-extreme effort. The combination of food and wine with a single wine is in fact one of the easiest forms of pairing, with a single product you have everything ready… you choose the wine, everything is done…nothing could be easier, right?

When wine is used both in the cooked dish and in the glass at the table, a unique synergy is created. The aromatic notes of the wine blend with the ingredients, creating a taste dance that enhances both the dish and the glass. It is as if the wine, with its personality, comes to life both on the table and in the palate, providing a complete and engaging food and wine experience.

 Let’s start at the beginning, first courses.

Wine-based dishes populate popular tradition and beyond; starred chefs and gourmet inns never cease to experiment, knowing that wine enhances the flavour of sauces and makes many preparations refined. However, we do not want to talk about the simple ‘deglazing’ of rice or browning meat, no… we delve into much richer condiments.

Risotto remains one of the dishes that best stands comparison with wine: not a clash, but a wonderful combination that gives flavour and richness to the dish. We certainly think of the classic risotto with Barolo, in homage to the Piedmontese wine, but why not move on to an original variant? A good risotto with Valcalepio red wine and cheese will whet our appetites. With Valcalepio DOC Rosso Riserva Colle Calvario by Castello Grumello you will make a great impression, because its intense body will accompany your dish in the glass, in a blaze of creaminess. Did you know that the province of Bergamo is one of the Italian provinces with the greatest variety of cheeses? Good reason to choose a local one, perfect to enrich risotto prepared with this full-bodied and spicy red.

Another traditional classic is risotto with Lambrusco wine and rabbit livers, which hides its secret in the toasting of the rice (‘vialone nano’ variety, right?): for a couple of minutes in the aluminium pan, dry and over a fairly high heat, let it redden and then pour in the Lambrusco wine all at once, with the heat off. It will sublimate on contact with the rice, boiling immediately. The spices then, nutmeg in the first row, will be the perfect binder with the characteristic flavour of the livers.

If, on the other hand, you are a white wine lover? Let’s move on to Trentino-Alto Adige and try the famous wine soup from the Valle Isarco, a heart-warming dish that is enriched in creaminess thanks to cream and, imagine that, egg yolks. But what if we wanted to make it a ‘national’ dish? Let’s cross the boot and try preparing it with a wine from hot, sunny Sicily. Schietto Chardonnay Bio 2016 from Principi di Spadafora winery would be the perfect alternative to the more classic pinot bianco or sylvaner, which are more closely linked to the Alto Adige region.

But we don’t want to leave you high and dry after just a few recipes: indulge in creativity – didn’t the great Pellegrino Artusi say that ‘cooking is an art that requires passion, but also a good dose of resourcefulness’? Try, for example, preparing fresh pasta with your favourite red wine: we will try our hand at Tagliatelle di semola di grano duro and Castello wine , directly from Podere Palazzo winery. A match made in heaven? A fragrant sauce of meat cooked in tomato, perhaps game, to give an even more distinctive touch.

And we don’t stop there: spaghetti with Aglianico wine, pasta alla boscaiola (woodland-style) or linguine with white wine, a real treat for lovers of bivalves, it’s up to your trusted fishmonger to choose which ones are the freshest of the day!

The drunken second course

When you want to cook big, seconds come after starters and first courses, but sometimes they are enough on their own to make your meal unique. When you don’t want to overdo it with lunches worthy of Lucius Licinus Lucullus, but you can’t disfigure yourself, you have to go for seconds.

Let’s drown a good dose of beef and bacon in a full-bodied, rich and moderately tannic red for a French classic, but well naturalised in Italy. We are talking about boeuf bourguignon (beef burgundy-style, we understand each other, right?), obviously excellent with a wine native to Burgundy, but why not try it with an all-Italian product? In fact, the meat, spring onions and truffled mushrooms will be perfectly bound together by a Schietto Merlot BIO (link a  ) from Principi di Spadafora. 

Accompany it with baked potatoes and lunch is complete! 

A Tuscan dish, on the other hand, might find its companion in nearby Romagna: the muscle meat chosen for peposo dell’Impruneta is enhanced by preparation with Sangiovese Dulcamara  by Podere Palazzo. Also known as peposo dei fornacini, it was prepared by the bricklayers (fornacini, in Intalian) in the kilns who cooked the meat in an earthenware pot placed at the mouth of the oven, so that it was cooked very slowly. Even today this means being patient and letting the meat cook for 2 (better 3) hours at least.

For vegetarians, red wine is an excellent ally for an exceptional marinade. Choose a soft and spicy wine, such as IGT Bergamasca Rosso Burdunì by Castello Grumello ( link to), which goes very well with the savoury aroma of soy sauce. This fragrant mix will be the basis for a dish of tofu in red wine and thyme, to accompany your best ratatouille; little Remy will be very proud of you!

Gourmet without limits

The possibilities in the kitchen, you will have realised, are many and we could fill the pages of your recipe books: just think of an aperitif with some excellent taralli (a salty snack) prepared with a fresh, citrusy white, such as Rivola by Podere Palazzo or a dessert to impress your diners. Brace yourself: warm and fragrant zabaione with sparkling wine, prepared with Enrica Spadafora Brut Nature, a delicate cup, in which to dip fragrant and buttery meliga biscuits (biscuits prepared with yellow flour).

As we were saying, these wines will be part of the ingredients of your recipes and then return to accompany your tasting, served in the glass. Now, don’t delay and run to the cooker… we are always available for a taste!