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Italian Wine Pairings for Everyday Food, Page 2
Pairings at a Glance
Showing 11–20 of 24 dishes
Cheesecake
Cheesecake's combination of cream cheese, sugar and (often) fruit topping wants a wine with citrus and gentle sweetness. Moscato d'Asti is the classic match: low alcohol, gentle bubbles, ripe peach and orange-blossom notes. For richer New York-style cheesecakes, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico adds depth.
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Lamb shank
Lamb shank cooks low and slow; collagen turns to gelatin and the meat reads sweet, dense and falling apart. Wines with bottle age and savoury fruit hold their own. Aged Aglianico del Vulture, Sagrantino di Montefalco or Brunello di Montalcino match the depth. Skip light Cerasuolo; the dish swallows it.
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Pork belly
Pork belly is the fattiest cut; slow cooking renders the layers and the meat reads sweet, gelatinous and deeply savoury. Wines need acidity to cut the richness. Frizzante Lambrusco, dry Italian whites from Alto Adige, and young Barbera d'Asti all work. Avoid oaky reds; they magnify the fat.
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Pulled pork
Pulled pork is slow-cooked, vinegary and rich; the sauce dictates the wine more than the meat. For Carolina-style (vinegar-based), Lambrusco Grasparossa works; for Memphis-style (sweet, smoky), Primitivo di Manduria. Sangiovese di Romagna covers tomato-based sauces.
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Ribeye steak
Ribeye carries more intramuscular fat than other cuts, which means tannin and acidity both have work to do. Medium-aged Chianti Classico Riserva, Aglianico del Vulture or a cool-vintage Brunello cut through marbled fat without flattening the beef. A young Barbera d'Asti works for weeknight ribeye in a pan.
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Roast turkey
Roast turkey is leaner and milder than chicken; the wine has to carry the flavour. Soave Classico Superiore and Falanghina del Sannio match white meat; for darker meat with cranberry, herb stuffing or richer sauces, a light red (Schiava from Alto Adige, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo) keeps things balanced.
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Tuna
Tuna has a meaty, almost steak-like bite; it sits between fish and red meat. Rosato (Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, Etna Rosato) bridges the gap; for seared steaks with soy or sesame, a young Etna Rosso works. Avoid heavy reds; they fight the iodine.
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Fillet steak
Fillet (filet mignon) is the leanest cut on the steer: tender, mild and prone to dryness. Wines need to support, not overwhelm. Pinot Nero from Alto Adige, mature Nebbiolo (Barbaresco rather than Barolo) or a refined Etna Rosso match the cut's quiet character. Heavily oaked or high-tannin reds dry the fillet further.
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Leg of lamb
Leg of lamb roasts whole; the outer crust caramelises while the inside stays pink. Wines need to bridge both. Sangiovese with bottle age (Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Brunello di Montalcino) is the canonical match; Aglianico from Vulture covers smokier preparations. Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, thyme) accent both wine and meat.
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Mussels
Mussels carry sweet, briny meat that opens up in steam, broth or mariniere-style preparations. Cool, mineral whites cut the brine: Soave Classico, Falanghina, dry Verdicchio. For mussels in tomato or arrabbiata, switch to a young Frappato or Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo.
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