Dinner #2: Homemade Italian Night!

Italian Dinner Night!

This week, a couple of friends and I decided to do an Italian themed wine dinner! We paired three different Italian wines: Villa d' Rosso Toscano (Sangiovese), Fabbrica (Moscato), and Caparzo (Sangiovese Toscana) with three foods: a beef-based lasagna, spaghetti carbanera, and some bread and butter. Each of these items can be seen in the photos above and below. 

Villa d' Rosso Toscano

Fabbrica Moscato

Caparzo Sangiovese Toscana

Buttered Bread

Lasagna

Spaghetti Carbanera

First I tried the wines without food. The first wine that I tasted was the Caparzo Sangiovese Toscana, and I wasn't really a fan of it. This wine was very dry and tart, and I honestly couldn't taste many flavors because I was overwhelmed with the tartness. The only flavor that I could really pull from this wine was that of a berry. I then tried the Villa d' Rosso Toscano, and it was kind of dry and had a bit of a spiciness to it. There were some sweet undertones to this wine, which tasted a little bit like a blackberry or a plum. I then tried the Fabbrica Moscato, and I was caught by surprise because I actually didn't really like it that much. I usually love Moscatos, but this one lacked a lot in the fruitiness and it wasn't as sweet as other Moscato wines that I've had before. It had a slight pear taste to it with slight pineapple undertones. 

Me with the three foods and the Sangiovese

Now it was time for the wine pairing with the food! I first tried the lasagna with the Villa d' Rosso, and I actually really loved these two together. I thought that the two complemented each other very well, and the cheese in the lasagna was accentuated by the dry Italian fell of the red wine. I then decided to pair the spaghetti carbanera with the Caparzo Sangiovese Toscano and I thought that these also went well together. The wine really brought out the bacon flavors of the sauce and the pasta, and it was just right. The pasta was not overpowered by this wine, which was a good thing. The wine paired with this food was very well balanced overall. Finally, I decided to pair the Fabbrica Moscato with the bread. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by this pairing because I did not originally love the wine. I thought that this wine made the bread taste like a very sweet desert. The Moscato seemed to soak into the bread and make for a sweet treat. Overall, this dinner was a success! I originally did not like the wines, but pairing foods with them actually enhanced their flavors and brought out tastes that I hadn't previously pointed out upon my original tasting. 

The three wines

The three foods!

Friends with their food and wine!

Friends with their food and wine!

Friends with their food and wine!

Friends with their food and wine!