Wine Pairings for Lasagna di Zucchine e Mozzarella in Bianco
Bianco: Poggiotondo Vermentino, Teruzzi & Puthod Terre di Tufi
Rosso: Niklas Schiava Kalterersee Klassich, Manincor Vernatch Kalterersee Keil
In this Sunday Pasta, the Béchamel takes center stage. Its sweet creaminess means big whites are the best call, and its hint of nutmeg means wines with some new oak can work well here. Medium-bodied reds with soft tannins in addition to some spicy oak influences can also match well.
Vermentino and Chardonnay are two white grapes that take well to oak. Vermentino is a grape that makes lightly visous wines, so it is a great match for Béchamel. Vermentino is also floral, so it highlights the garden green notes of the zucchini. The Poggiotondo has only 15% French oak used in the fermentation, so it is the lighter and higher-toned of the two recommended wines. Like Vermentino, Chardonnay also brings weight into wines, and it blends well with other varieties to add flavor complexity. In this Teruzzi & Puthod, Vernaccia and Sauvignon Blanc are brought into the blend. Both grapes add herbal aromas that blend beautifully with the zucchini. There is 30% new oak in this wine, making it richer in flavor and matching especially nicely with the nutmeg of the sauce.
Schiava also goes by the name Vernatch. This black grape makes pale red wines with gentle tannins. The wines are also quite spicy, even without new oak, so they line-up easily with the pasta’s nutmeg. Both of these wines are fermented and/or aged in older oak, so their sweet spice lift is laid-back. While the tannins in these wines are soft, they have lots of lifting acidity to keep the palate refreshed.
Check out our recipe for Lasagna di Zucchine e Mozzarella in Bianco.
Cin cin!
Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine (MW)
Wine Editor
@canterburywine
