This week’s post will be an easy meal, that everyone has their own way of preparing: spaghetti & sauce. I am going to walk through a basic version and what wine to pair it with, then talk about a few variations and what might go better with them. In any case, if I DO NOT cover your version of this meal, drop me a line & I will get back to you with the best pairing option, in my opinion. All of the ingredients can be bought at the Clinton Hannaford well within Billy’s price range. We like Prince Tricolor Rotini and Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce. For the basic vegan variation, we usually add some peppers & onions (Hannaford’s frozen, warmed-up and chopped). Sometimes we add a Morningstar frozen Spicey Black Bean Burger (warmed-up & chopped). I will also talk about the classic meatball variation.
If you are making spaghetti with a tomato based sauce, especially Marinara, then you will want a Chianti to go with it. The only question is which one? The answer will depend on what you add to the sauce. If you keep it simple, like the vegan option I mentioned above, then a Brunello di Montalcino would be fine. Clinton Wine & Spirits carries La Lecciaia’s 2015, which is priced at the high end of Billy’s range. Many larger wine stores will carry the Reserva, which may fall in Steve’s price range. If you are doing something more aggressive, like the Spicey Black Bean Burger or meatballs, then you want a Chianti Classico. The Clinton store carries Ruffino’s Reserva Ducale Oro, which is priced in Steve’s range. You may find the Grand Reserva version in your area (more expensive, but still in Steve’s range). With Italian food, especially tomato based pasta, you want Italian wine!
Why the two different wines and why Italian? Almost any meal with a tomato & basil sauce, like Marinara, will pair best with a Sangiovese based wine (especially one that includes pasta). Most of your best Sangioveses are going to come from central Italy’s greater Chianti region. Contained within a part of that area is Chianti Classico. Montalcino & Montepulciano are two regions just south of the Chianti Classico region, but still part of greater Chianti. Whenever anyone asks me about Italian wine, I always tell them there are 2 things they need to know: 1) make sure it says DOCG around the neck of the bottle & 2) if it says Reserva or Grand Reserva, even better. According to my notes from the National Wine School (NWS), DOC or DOCG indicate that it is a Classico wine, one from a historical wine making area. Also, Reserva or Grand Reserva means that it was aged before release. In addition, in the Chianti Classico DOCG the minimum Sangiovese content must be 80% & the wines must age for at least 1 year before release. Brunello is a clone of Sangiovese and the “local” name for Sangiovese in Montalcino. Its minimum Sangiovese content is 100% & it must have at least 4 years of aging.
That should be enough for blog post #12. But before I sign off, if you are looking for a good wine to pair with turkey, try a white Burgundy or German Gewurztraminer. Many of either can be had in Billy’s price range and Dr. Konstantin Frank makes a descent Gewurtz. Next week’s post will be an education one on useful wine “tools”. Here’s hoping you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Cheers!
