Wine pairings for Orecchiette con Peperoni Misti
Bianco: Terre di Briganti Falanghina Sannio
Rosato: Romagnoli Rosato Flora Marche
Rosso: Contrà Soarda Marzemino Gaggion, Roeno Marzemino Vallagarina La Rua
Sweet peppers take center stage in this dish. Easier to pair with wine than the green versions, sweet peppers still have particular needs. Specifically, they work best with generously fruited and unoaked wines. Whites and rosés work slightly better than reds, but a light rosso with soft tannins can work, too. This is a mid-weight pasta, so stay in the middle of the road, veering neither too far toward lean nor toward plump.
Perfumed, medium-bodied whites from Campania, like those made from Falanghina, will pair nicely with this dish. Falanghina also shows nuttiness on the finish, which will work nicely with the aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Moreover, there’s a mineral and earthy note in Falanghina that will match up nicely with the cooked red onion.
Aromatic rosés are my favorite for this dish. My selection is a blend of the cherry-fruited Montepulciano and the fragrant Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, but just about any fruit-driven rosé will work. The 2013s are just starting to hit the shelves in time for summer. Double check your choice’s vintage before purchasing. While some rosés have the wherewithal to age a bit, what you’ll want for this dish is freshness. Go with a 2012 or 2013.
Marzemino is a northern Italian grape with generous strawberry fruit that will match nicely with the peppers. Again, stick to unoaked versions or wines that have been aged in neutral barrels. Otherwise, you’ll have chocolate, espresso and vanilla flavors mixing with your peperoni!
p.s. Check out our recipe for Orecchiette con Peperoni Misti.
Cin cin!
Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine (MW)
Wine Editor
@canterburywine
