Wine Pairings for Cappellini con Piselli
Bianco: Gaja Alteni di Brassica, Scarbolo Sauvignon Blanc, Elena Walch Sauvignon Blanc Castel Ringberg
Rosato: Muri Greis Lagrein Rosato, Alois Lageder Lagrein Rosato, Andrien Lagrein Rosato
In this Sunday Pasta, it is the peas that are the key to the best wine pairing. This dish that looks and tastes of spring requires a wine that smells the same. The peas’ perky, fresh green flavor coupled by the lightness of this dish means bianco and rosato wines work best. Everything else in the recipe is a blank slate for the peas and the wines to write upon.
Sauvignon Blanc has cut grass and herbal notes that echo the peas’ flavor. Sauvignon Blanc mostly comes in unoaked styles, but even those with a light touch of new oak savoriness can work well with this pasta.
Lagrein is a black grape that shows herbal undertones, making it perfect to match up with the peas. Given this is such a light-weight pasta with little protein (just a bit from the cheese garnish), the lightly scratchy tannins from a red Lagrein would be slightly intrusive. Hence, it is preferable to go with a rosé version. This gives the imbiber the best of both worlds by combining the aromatics and body of the grape to contribute to the dish while keeping the tannins away.
Check out our recipe for Cappellini con Piselli.
Cin cin!
Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine (MW)
Wine Editor
@canterburywine
