Wine pairings for Pappardelle al Prosciutto
Rosso: Tre Monti Thea Sangiovese di Romagna, Zerbina Ceregio Sangiovese di Romagna, Giovanna Madonia Tenetino Sangiovese di Romagna
Parma lies in the western half of Italy’s north-central region called Emilia-Romagna. Similar to Tuscany, this region makes a lot of wine from the Sangiovese grape. However, this region’s Sangiovese differs from Tuscany’s, a natural occurrence given the different territories of these two regions. The Sangiovese grape adapted to best suit each of them. Sangiovese di Romagna tends to be lighter in color and weight than Sangiovese di Toscana. It also shows generous, fresh herb notes, and sometimes its tannins can be less ripe and a bit more edgy. As long as the tannins are ripe and the acidity is balanced, I really like this grape!
There are a few truly fantastic Sangiovese di Romagna that would sing beautifully with this pasta. All the ones I suggest here are varietal. One of my all time favorites is Tre Monti’s Thea. It smells of ripe red berries, roses and cigar smoke. Another top example is Zerbina’s Ceregio. This red swarms the nose with wild berries, cracked black pepper and underbrush. Finally, there’s Giovanna Madonia’s Tenetino. This wine shows layers of red plum, red currant and lingonberry interspersed with drizzles of fresh-cut herbs.
If you can’t find one of these Sangiovese di Romagna, ask for one that is made by an artisanal producer. Alternatively, look for a blend with Sangiovese di Romagna from a small winery.
Check out our recipe for Pappardelle al Prosciutto.
Cin cin!
Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine (MW)
Wine Editor
@canterburywine
