Wine Road Podcast: Amanda Porteous, Marketing and Program Director of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce

Episode 228: Amanda Porteous, Marketing and Program Director of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce

Wine Road Podcast: Guy Davis, Owner and Winemaker at Davis Family Vineyards

 Episode 227: Guy Davis, Owner and Winemaker at Davis Family Vineyards

Wine Road Podcast: Sonoma County Drive & Exploration!

Episode 226: Sonoma County Drive & Exploration!

Drink This With That: Sicilian Cusine

Welcome back to Drink This with That—featuring what to drink with specific foods and international cuisines. Each month we highlight a particular food or dish with pairing options and a link to the Wine Road searchable database to find the wines we recommend from the tried and true, to selections that add a bit of a twist to the standard pairing.

This month we explore wine pairing options for Sicilian cuisine. Sunny Sicily is a bountiful island off the toe of the Italian “boot” with cuisine that is layered with flavor drawing influence from the many cultures that have shaped its culinary traditions including Greek, Arab, Norman, and Spanish. From Caponata to Cannoli, Pasta con Sarde and Pasta La Norma, to the ubiquitous Arancini. These are the foods I grew up with that hold a special place in my heart and on my palate.

Search for recommended wines here: www.wineroad.com/wineries as well as in the Italian Varietal section here: https://www.wineroad.com/italians/

Sicilian Dishes & Wine Pairing Recommendations

Caponata

Caponata is a quintessential Sicilian antipasto dish that traces back to Arab rule in Sicily when the introduction of eggplants and the concept of sweet and sour flavors (agrodolce) influenced local cuisine. The dish combines eggplant, tomatoes, celery, olives, capers, and vinegar, creating a complex interplay of flavors. Eggplant is a staple of Sicilian cuisine and caponata is the one dish that immediately soothes and calms me. I used to make jars of it with my Italian Nonna (grandmother) to take back to school to share with my roommates, but invariably I would end up eating the entire jar myself. Oops!

+ Barbera

+ Vermentino

+ Biancolella

Pasta alla Norma

This dish is a tribute to Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Norma,” composed in Catania. Pasta alla Norma features pasta topped with a rich tomato sauce, fried eggplant, and salted ricotta cheese, reflecting the abundance of local ingredients and the influence of Arab culinary traditions.

+ Sangiovese

+ Dolcetto

+ Rosé of Sangiovese

Arancini

Arancini are deep-fried rice balls filled with ragù, peas, and mozzarella. The name “arancini” means “little oranges,” referring to their shape and golden color. Today, they are ubiquitous street food, with regional variations. Arancini were the afterschool treat of my childhood. On my first trip to Sicily, I swooned upon sight of a shop dedicated to Arancini. It was like the Baskin Robbins of Arancini with a multitude of flavors and filings to choose from. I was in rice ball heaven.

+ Montepulciano

+ Vermentino

+ Sangiovese

Grilled Swordfish (Pesce Spada alla Griglia)

Swordfish has been a staple in Sicilian coastal cuisine for centuries, particularly in the Strait of Messina. Grilled swordfish, seasoned simply with olive oil, lemon, and herbs, showcases the simplicity and freshness of Mediterranean seafood.

+ Vermentino

+ Falanghina

+ Fiano

Fritto Misto di Mare

Fritto Misto di Mare is a mixed seafood fry, a popular dish along Sicily’s coastlines. The dish typically includes squid, shrimp, and small fish, lightly battered and fried to perfection.

+ Vermentino

+ Sparkling Sangiovese Rosé

+ Pinot Grigio

Pasta con Sarde

This uniquely Sicilian dish combining sardines with wild fennel, pine nuts, raisins, and saffron. The use of sweet-savory elements and exotic spices like saffron indicates the fusion cuisine of Sicily, blending local fish with North African culinary traditions.

+ Arneis

+ Vermentino

+ Barbera

+ Fiano

Cannoli

Cannoli are crispy fried shells filled with sweetened ricotta (often flavored with orange blossom or chocolate) that blend Arab and Sicilian culinary techniques, making it one of the island’s most iconic desserts.

+ Moscato

+ Late Harvest Arneis

+Late Harvest Zinfandel

Wine Road Podcast: Gio Balistreri, Owner & Winemaker at Russian River Vineyards

Episode 225: Gio Balistreri, Owner & Winemaker at Russian River Vineyards

Wine Road Podcast: Oded Shakked, Owner & Winemaker of Longboard Vineyards

 Episode 224: Oded Shakked, Owner & Winemaker of Longboard Vineyards

Drink This With That: Vietnamese Cuisine

 

Welcome back to Drink This with That—This month we explore wine pairing options for the vibrant world of Vietnamese cuisine.

The iconic dishes of Vietnamese cuisine offer a literal garden of delights with a harmonious blend of fresh herbs, spices, with flavors ranging from spicy and sweet to sour, and savory umami notes.

Vietnamese Cuisine is lighter and more subtle utilizing herbs and light broths versus Thai cuisine, which is bolder, spicier and more intense. Characteristic ingredients include lemongrass, ginger, mint, coriander, Saigon cinnamon, bird’s eye chili, lime, and Thai basil leaves. Many dishes are low in sugar and dairy and primarily rice based using rice flour and rice-based noodles rather than what based, making them naturally gluten free.

Search for compatible wines here www.wineroad.com/wineries

Vietnamese Cuisine & Wine Pairing Recommendations

Fresh and Herbaceous

Goi cuon

Salad rolls made from rice sheets filled with rice vermicelli, fresh raw vegetables and herbs, and prawns or other seafood.

+  Sauvignon Blanc / Pinot Grigio / Sparkling Rosé

Bánh mi

Vietnamese sandwich made with a crusty baguette filled with meats like pork or chicken, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and spicy mayonnaise or pate.

+ Sauvignon Blanc / Gewurztraminer /Pinot Noir/ Pinot Meunier

Savory and Umami

Cha gio

Fried, crispy spring roll typically wrapped with rice paper, filled with ground pork and vegetables.

+ Rosé of Grenache/ Skin Contact Pinot Gris/ Sparkling Blanc de Blancs

Bánh Xèo

Vietnamese crepes, traditionally stuffed with pork belly, shrimp, mung beans and bean sprouts.

+ Brut Rosé Sparkling / Gewürztraminer

Pho

Vietnamese soup dish consisting of light and aromatic broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually thinly sliced beef, and sometimes chicken; garnished with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and chili.

+ Pinot Blanc / Unoaked Chardonnay / Pinot Noir

Cha ca La Vong

Grilled fish marinated with turmeric, galangal, fermented rice and other ingredients, served with scallion and dill.

+ Chardonnay / Viognier / Marsanne Roussanne

Spicy and Sour

Bun Cha: Grilled Pork Meatballs served over rice noodles with a light and sweet dipping sauce.

+ Dry Rosé / Cabernet Franc/ Skin Contact Ribolla Gialla