Wine pairings for Risotto al Finocchio
Bianco: Ocone Falanghina Taburno, Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio
Rosso: Leonardi Bussoletti Ciliegiolo Narni Brecciaro, Le Tre Stelle Ciliegiolo Rosso di Toscana
This risotto is seriously aromatic. So, it needs equally forward wines at the table. Some with an anise hint would be nice as would be a wine with some viscous texture. Higher altitude wines from the central part of the peninsula work impressively well.
In the white category, wines from Campania work well. I particularly like Falanghina, which is decadently aromatic for a native Italian white grape. These wines have full body and medium-plus density, so they stand up well structurally to the risotto.
For a red, I would choose a Ciliegiolo. This black grape is a parent of Sangiovese, so it bears its red cherry fruit. However, it’s less rigidly structured, so it works better with the smooth textures of this risotto dish. Still, it has the vibrating acidity to clean the risotto’s richness off the palate in a split second!
Check out our recipe for Risotto al Finocchio .
Cin cin!
Christy Canterbury, Master of Wine (MW)
Wine Editor
@canterburywine
