Match of the week | Pasta with pesto and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

Match of the week

Pasta with pesto and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

This past week has reminded me yet again what a great match Italian whites are for food. Their lack of obvious character means they tend not to stand out in a tasting but they explode into life with a dish.

The first pairing, I’ve already mentioned in my review of the River Café - Poggio al Tesoro Vermentino Solosole 2007 was just the perfect fresh foil for a salad of Castelluccio lentils , ricotta di Bufala and chilli but I equally enjoyed a pairing I tried at home of a 2007 Loretello Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi from Cantine Politi (from Vino in Topsham) with a plate of spaghetti with fresh home-made pesto (the classic kind with basil rather than one of the more inventive new variations).

I personally find pesto goes much better with whites than with reds which it seems to coarsen. Gavi di Gavi is another good match.

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Comments: 2 (Add)

Fiona Beckett on January 24 2015 at 23:26

Interesting idea about asparagus. I can see that working too - a bit like gruner veltliner. Good call!

D. Fear on January 24 2015 at 22:17

Wonderful to see this verdicchio mentioned. The area produces some verdicchio wines which do have character, all by themselves - so much so, that some people I have talked to say that this white wine is a bit too poky for them!
I love it, and can imagine it going very well indeed with pesto. It would also go extremely well with German white asparagus (a tricky thing) accompanied by a classical cooked ham and new potatoes, with either hollandaise or (daring) bearnaise. Personally I would take a Wiener schnitzel (veal naturally) with the asparagus.
I am looking forward to the asparagus season here in Germany - with one of these wonderful Verdicchio wines!
Cheers

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