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Wine and cured meats: a majestic aperitif
Are you organising an aperitif but do not know what to pair with the salami or prosciutto cotto? Pairing wine and cured meats is always the best option! At this point, we have a second question to ask: which wine to choose? The most common answer to this question, as it is meat, is usually to pair it with a red wine, but actually white wines and sparkling wines also make a good pairing. When it comes to cured meats and wine, the possibilities are endless – the only limit is your imagination. You should choose the right wine based on the pairing of aromas and flavours, and generally speaking, red wine is ideal. It should not be very firmly structured, but fresh-tasting to cleanse the palate, maybe even semi-sparkling. A wine like Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna – the homeland of exceptional cured meats – is particularly popular in this case and quickly resolves any doubts or problems. However, there are many other ways to pair wine and cured meats: Prosecco, Franciacorta, sparkling wines and even Moscato wines. Browse our selection and find the perfect pairing for your aperitif.
Wine and platters: the perfect combination
Given the wide variety that a platter can offer, pairing wine and cured meats could seem complicated. When pairing wine with cured meat platters, each meat has its own ideal red or white wine, but the most important thing is that the wine and cured meat pairing must be appealing to you. There are a number of ways to pair a good bottle of wine with a cured meat platter and it is important to find a balance between the richness of the meats and the wine’s body. White wine is the perfect accompaniment to a cured meat appetiser. When the cured meat has a delicate flavour, excellent white wines such as Sauvignon are ideal to cleanse the palate of the taste of the fattiest parts. And vice versa, semi-cured meats, which usually contain more salt, pair well with a white wine but it must be aromatic and smooth, like a Malvasia or a Pinot Grigio. Finally, with very salty cured meats, like some raw hams, the rule is that red wines are a better pairing. To not dry out the palate, a low-tannin red wine without too much structure is an ideal choice, such as Pinot Noir.If you prefer a white wine, why not pair a fantastic prosciutto with a splendid sparkling wine from Piedmont? Remember, dryness, acidity and maybe some bubbles help to compensate for the characteristics of some cured meats.
Barbera d’Alba: an ideal pairing for cured meats
Barbera is cultivated in the hilly areas of Piedmont, and depending on the micro-climate and nature of the soil, it can produce different results. Several types of wines are based on Barbera grapes, such as Barbera d’Asti, Barbera del Monferrato, and Barbera D’Alba, to name but a few. Barbera D’Alba has a distinctive, fruity aroma and is ruby red in colour. The taste is dry, savoury and very sour yet still harmonious. Barbera d’Alba red wine pairs very well with classic Piedmont recipes, but it is also an ideal accompaniment for cured meats or for an aperitif in the Piedmont countryside thanks to its versatility, freshness, and medium body. Try it with us, with a selection of prosciutto and cured meats.
The perfect pairing: Brunello and cured meats
Montalcino not only offers beautiful Tuscan landscapes, it is also a land of fabulous wines, which strictly use the Sangiovese grape. The star of these wines is Brunello, a bottled nectar that can mature for up to 30 years or more, and could be considered a small miracle! This is a magnificent wine that makes its mark thanks to its breadth, body and intensity of flavours and aromas. Brunello di Montalcino reveals its elegance in the glass: deep ruby red for the young wines and the typical garnet red for the aged wines. This wine requires a full-bodied structure to accompany premium meats and cured meats. Brunello di Montalcino is the ideal pairing for a robust aperitif, appetiser, or a special occasion.