Monday, July 05, 2010

Wine for Tomato Season: Grechetto

If the tomatoes aren't yet bursting on the vines where you are, it's only a matter of time. Tomatoes are an interesting wine pairing challenge. The acidity and sweet edge of fresh tomatoes can fight with some wines, and be overwhelmed by others.

Enter Grechetto. Grechetto has been grown in Umbria for centuries (I was corrected on this point when I drank an earlier vintage of this wine!). And it goes great with fresh tomato dishes, like caprese salad or this fantastic roasted cherry tomato pasta dish which uses barely blistered tomatoes to make a delicious sauce for spaghetti.

The 2008 Arnaldo-Caprai Grechetto Grecante (available for $16-$20) tasted quite different to me than the one that I drank in October 2008. That might be because that one had been in the bottle a bit longer, and was deeper in color and richer in taste as a result. This bottling--at least at this time--was much paler in color. The aromas reminded me of preserved lemons--the Moroccan kind, with salt. This aroma is echoed in the flavors, which take on savory herbal notes as well which will draw out the flavor of any herbs you use with your fresh tomatoes. Deliciously complex, dry, and not your ordinary summer white. Excellent QPR.

Full disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

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David said...

Know matter how many I try I'm always learning about new Italian varietals I need to try! sounds like a good one.

Mommyto8 said...

where can I buy this wine?? I have been reading "Under The Tuscan Sun" and she mentioned this Grechetto...and would love to try it!!!