What do you pair with this wine?
ab-bi-NA-men-to — five syllables, stress on fourth.
When tasting a wine and wanting to know what food it pairs with best — essential knowledge for using the wine at home.
'Abbinamento' = pairing. Italian wine-food pairing philosophy is regional — wines pair with the foods of their region. Barolo with Piedmontese beef. Vermentino with Sardinian fish. Fiano di Avellino with Neapolitan seafood.
Con i formaggi va bene?
Does it go well with cheese?
Cheese is a useful reference point — most wines pair well with cheese of comparable intensity
Lo berreste con il risotto?
Would you drink it with risotto?
Asking about specific dishes — a practical approach to food pairing
Abbinamento regionale — cosa si mangia nella zona?
Regional pairing — what is eaten in this area?
The golden rule: pair with the local food of the wine's region
The Italian concept of the 'vino da meditazione' (meditation wine) refers to wines so complex and powerful they are drunk alone, without food — to be contemplated and appreciated on their own terms. Amarone and aged Barolo are the most celebrated examples. The concept was coined by Mario Soldati in the 1960s.