For the chicken pesto pasta, let us seek a white wine from
an appellation in the southern Rhône known largely for its red wine production,
Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The terroir
here is famous for the galets roulés,
or round stones, that retain moisture for the vines as well as heat after the sun
sets, which continues to ripen the grapes. Bourboulenc, clairette, picardan, roussanne, and blanc and
gris versions of grenache and piquepoul are the varieties that may make an
appearance. Because of the large
number and mixture of varietals permitted, the whites here can take many forms,
but they characteristically have floral aromas and pleasing minerality, with
varying amounts of structure and acidity.
Friuli, in northeastern Italy, ironically best known for its
white wines, offers an interesting red pairing for the chicken pesto in the form
of refosco. It tends to combine
uninhibited fruit and racy acidity.
It may be called refosco dal pedunculo rosso in Collio and the Colli
Orientali because of the red stem that joins the grape cluster to the
vine. The Carso variety of refosco
is known as terrano, which may or my not be a true relative of other types of refosco
elsewhere in Friuli. At least part
of terrano’s distinction in this zone, and neighboring Slovenia, is a matter of
terroir, as it is grown in terra rossa, red soil which has a high
iron content.
Complementary Pairing:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Rhône, France
Try: Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc ‘La Crau’
[www.vieuxtelegraphe.com] This characteristic white wine of the region comes from its
best-known cru, La Crau, located in the
southeastern-most part of the appellation. It is composed of clairette, grenache blanc, bourboulenc, and
roussanne from vines averaging 40 years of age. The fermentation takes place in an even split of large vats
and oak of various sizes, aging for one year in the same vessel before being bottling
unfiltered.
Contrasting Pairing:
Refosco, Friuli, Italy
Try: Kante Terrano
[www.kante.it] From
one of the top producers of Carso, that thin strip of Italy just north of
Trieste, surrounded by Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea. The maceration lasts three weeks, which is followed by three
years of aging in large barrels before being bottled unfiltered. The result is a wine where all the
elements are in perfect balance.
For a real glimpse of why my team is here and not in the comfort of home and the loving arms of family, please see this article from Stars and Stripes.
