The theoretical delicate smokiness of this pork rib demands
smoky elements in the accompanying wine, such as those from syrah hailing from
the northern Rhône. The
appellations that prescribe red wine production here allow for the blending of
a small amount of white grapes to add aromatics and complexity, save for
one—Cornas. Located near the southern
end of the valley, these wines have traditionally been considered among the
more rustic of the northern Rhône. This reputation is changing due to an increasing emphasis on
attention to detail and low yields in the vineyard combined with better
techniques in the cellar. Common
flavors are dark fruits such as currants and blackberries, with minerality
coming from the granite underneath.
In the sense of being a wine that comes white wine grapes,
the “orange wines” of Friuli in northeastern Italy are white wines, and they have
the structure to match the pork rib, with enough acidity to cut through the abundant
fat hidden within. So-called
orange wines are produced from white grapes left in prolonged contact with the skins,
which results in a variable degree of orange tint to the finished wine. Although this technique is essentially
an ancient wine, it has seen a recent revival amongst producers in Friuli, and
in particular the area of Carso, which is adjacent to Trieste and on the border
with Slovenia. The resulting wines
are frequently bottled unfiltered, and may appear cloudy in the glass, with the
presence of abundant grape skin tannins not normally found in white wines.
Complementary Pairing:
Cornas, Rhône, France
Try: Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas ‘Les Ruchets’
[www.vinscolombo.fr]
This is the grand vin from this leader in the renaissance of quality
production in Cornas. From vines farmed
organically of up to 90 years of age, it spends two years maturing in oak. The philosophy of this domaine is that
wine is meant to pair with food, so despite the powerful syrah, these wines are
inevitably balanced, with finesse and expressiveness of origin.
Contrasting Pairing:
Carso “orange wine”, Friuli, Italy
Try: Vodopivec
Vitovska Amphora
[www.vodopivec.it]
Like other vineyards in Carso, the vines are planted on limestone
bedrock. The grape variety is
vitovska, which practically exists only in Friuli and neighboring
Slovenia. This version is
macerated with its skins for 6 months in traditional vessels, clay amphorae
from Georgia (the former Soviet republic, not the US state). Expect this wine to be a unique
experience that will change dramatically in the glass as it breathes, variously
showing elements of stone fruits, herbs, smoke, and the limestone upon which it
is grown.
