Risky Business: Pairing Barolo And Food
Which dishes are most suitable for a noble (and expensive) wine like Barolo?
Today we will try to answer this age-old question with a series of recipes and tips to enhance the organoleptic qualities of Barolo, one of the best Italian red wines. After all, a bottle of Barolo is never cheap, and therefore you certainly don’t want to risk ruining your dinner just because you match the wrong dish.
An example: you have been invited to an ethnic dinner, an Indian evening, a table laden with spicy delicacies, and you want to bring an excellent wine and think of the old 68 Monfortino Barolo that you have in the cellar. It would be a massive mistake because Barolo hates spicy and pungent dishes. Its tannins, bitter taste, alcohol, and delicate nuances would immediately conflict with the spicy, and the experience would be disastrous.
Here perhaps there is only one great rule when combining Barolo and food: avoid dishes that are too spicy, salty, or bitter not to incite the wine’s tannins.
It is always better to focus on beer, rosé wines, quality Lambrusco, and a good Franciacorta-Champagne for spicy foods. Tannic and evolved red wines do not combine them with hot food.
Having said that, you can indulge yourself with a thousand combinations, even ethnic food. You do not live on truffles alone, even if the one with the truffle is a bond of territory born in the Langhe and has made these hills famous worldwide.
As general advice, try to prefer fatty, greasy, rich preparations, game, and polenta with meat sauce, to name a simple dish.
Mushrooms, porcini, chanterelles, and most edible fungi
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, as the old Leonardo said, and he was right. With a good bottle of Barolo, they don’t serve too elaborate dishes. Try to combine a simple plate of Tortelloni with Borgotaro porcini mushrooms with culaccia and walnuts or tagliatelle with porcini. And if it’s a Piedmontese raw meat tartare with Parmesan and porcini mushrooms, even better! Suggested wine: Barolo Serralunga 2014 Ferdinando Principiano Winery.
Truffle
Truffle wins hands down: it’s the pairing that has always dominated throughout the cuisine of the Langhe. So do not hesitate to spend as many euros as you like for the much-loved Tuber Magnatum Pico to prepare risotto with truffles, passatelli with truffles on Parmesan fondue, fried egg with truffle, and the alchemical San Domenicos Uovo In Raviolo. Suggested wine: the super salty and mesmerizing Barolo Serradenari Giulia Negri 2017.
Brasati
Braised beef in Barolo, paired with the same Barolo wine, food wine Braised meats, roasts, and baked meat dishes deserve a good bottle of Barolo. If many turn up their noses at the idea of burning a bottle for braised meat, it will not be a coincidence that it is one of the most popular and bitter dishes in all of Piedmont. There is no need to spend hundreds of euros. A basic wine can go. Here is the recipe for beef braised in Barolo from a tremendous Piedmontese restaurant. We suggest a cheap and chic wine like Barolo Ornato 2012 Palladino.
Pasta with meat sauce
Of course, Barolo and lasagna with Bolognese sauce is a phenomenal pairing, but if we want to stay in Piedmont, here’s a great recipe from the Santise restaurant: tagliatelle with Cavour liver ragu. Suggested wine: Barolo Serralunga 2016 Ferdinando Principiano has light tannins and is juicy, perfect to pair with all kinds of pasta.
Chinese meat cuisine
The vigorous tannins of Barolo are perfect for cleansing the mouth from the mouthwatering flavor of sweet and sour pork, chicken with almonds and broccoli, and ginger beef stir fry.
Ethnic street food
If you want to organize an aperitif or an informal but classy dinner, uncork a couple of bottles of Barolo and prepare some ethnic dishes such as meat samosas, satay Thai, yakitori, falafel, beef tacos, empanadas, choripan, grilled cheese. Shish kebab for life.
Cheeses
Many lean towards white wine for cheeses, but if you want to combine thick aged cheeses, Barolo is one of the first choices. The reason is simple: the cheese’s fat is cut by the tannins, amalgamating and creating a wonderful symphony. Pecorino di Moliterno. Caciocavallo, Tuscan pecorino, but if we want to stay in Piedmont once again, Castelmagno or a classic toma. Pair a noble and elegant wine like Cascina Fontana Barolo Castiglione Falletto 2016.
Vegan dishes
Many think that Barolo is a carnivorous wine. Indeed it is, but it is much more. Now even vegan cuisine knows how to churn out tasty dishes of substance. Do you want to delight your guests with a vegan dinner and a good bottle of Barolo? Try the Braised seitan with Barolo, the yakitori of seitan, the baked pasta with vegetable ragout, the sweet and sour seitan, or the pasta with fake Bolognese sauce with tofu and seitan.
Brisket and Pulled Pork
After the vegan parenthesis, let’s sink our teeth into grilled meat. And what better occasion to prepare a great classic like the Texan brisket? The smoky and spicy, but never spicy, taste of the smoked veal brisket is delicious and blends perfectly with the earthy scents of Barolo.
Cream Soups
Barolo is a winter wine, so why not combine it with classic comfort food recipes such as cream of porcini mushrooms, pumpkin, or potatoes? The fat of the cream it’s like a balm for the powerful tannins of Barolo, and even without effort, you will create a pairings masterpiece. Take it easy and uncork a simple, yet delicious, like Barolo Prapò 2014 from Cascina Schiavenza.
Barbecue Recipes
All smoked meat dishes such as pulled pork and beef spare ribs with barbecue sauce. Suggested wine: an incredible, strong, and elegant wine like Barolo Paiagalo 2016 Giovanni Canonica.
Beef Fillet Steak
Fillet Wellington, with porcini mushrooms, pesto, Roquefort sauce, and Martini: you are spoiled for choice to enhance the juiciness of the meat with the tannic power of Barolo. Brovia Ca Mia 2016 is the total package: has juiciness, lovely scentes, finesse, and the tannic power to tame all kinds of steaks.