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Wine and Pasta

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Wine and Pasta

Winter is a time for comfort food and one of my favourite comfort foods is pasta. When it comes to pairing a wine with pasta, the deciding factor should be the accompanying sauce, not the pasta itself because after all, pasta by itself does not have a great deal of flavour.

Photo credit: finewinemaster.com

Tomato-Based Pasta

Tomato-based sauces are high in acid and are often blended with beef or pork. Because of the acidity in tomatoes, a dry, medium-bodied red wine is recommended. Examples of red, medium-weight wines include:

  • Chianti
  • Grenache
  • Nero d’Avola
  • Primitivo
  • Rhône Blends
  • Sangiovese
  • Zinfandel

Cheese Pasta

There are a wide range of red as well as white wines that will pair well with cheese sauces. You shouldn’t feel restricted to serving just white wine with white cheese pasta. An oaked white wine will have a buttery character that will compliment the creamy sauce. Examples include an oaked Trebbiano or Chardonnay. Here are a couple of white wine options to consider:

  • Oaked Chardonnay
  • Oaked Trebbiano

Also, lighter more floral red wines will also pair well with intense hard-cheese pasta, especially if there are mushrooms or root vegetables in the sauce.   Red wine options include:

  • Chianti
  • Nebbiolo
  • Pinot Noir
  • Sangiovese

Seafood Pasta

Light-bodied white wines are the preferred pairing choice for seafood pasta. These wines will be relatively acidic, thus a good balance for creamy white sauces and fatty seafood, such as scallops, shrimp, oysters or mussels. White wine options include:

  • Chenin Blanc
  • Grenache Blanc
  • Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
  • Riesling
  • Sauvignon Blanc

For seafood pasta that is cooked in a tomato-based sauce, light body red wines or Rosé are a good option. Red wine options include:

  • Pinot Noir
  • Malbec

Pesto Pasta

Whether you are serving the traditional pine nut and basil pesto or another type of pesto, the focus should be on matching the green, whether it be parsley, cilantro, mint, etc. which is the centerpiece of the dish. For the most part, herbaceous wines are said to be best suited when serving pesto pasta. Herbaceous wines are those wines that have aromas and flavours like herbs such as mint, vegetables such as asparagus, freshly cut grass or tomato leaves. Wines considered to be herbaceous include:

  • Grüner Veltliner
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Cabernet Sauvignon

Primavera (Vegetable) Pasta

Spring onions, garlic ramps, artichoke hearts and broccolini are among the choices on which to base primavera. The objective is to highlight the springy freshness of the vegetables; thus, it is often best paired with a light-bodied white wine with lemony and floral notes. However, if the pasta has major vegetable intensity, it needs to be matched with an equally savory white wine. White sauce wine options include:

  • Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
  • Riesling
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Vermentino

If tomatoes are a major component of the primavera, a light-bodied acidic red wine would be a better choice. Tomato sauce wine options include:

  • Cabernet Franc
  • Pinot Noir
  • Rosé

No matter which type of pasta you fancy, one of the corresponding wine options will compliment your meal.

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The Wines of Armenia

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Armenia is a wine region that I was unaware of until I saw an Armenian wine advertised recently in a wine catalogue. That enticed me to do some research and here is what I learned.

The bulk of wine grapes indigenous to Armenia are not very well known in North America. Hindering Armenia’s ability to familiarize the rest of the world with its wines are the ongoing conflicts surrounding its borders. Armenia is situated between Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia’s rivers and high plateaus are surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains.

The country’s wine history is ancient. The region of Vayots Dzor claims to be home to the oldest winery in the world, in operation since some 6,100 years ago.

As with some other Eastern European countries, the progression of Armenian wine ended when the Soviet Red Army invaded in 1920. In 1922 the country was merged into the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. Then, in 1936 it became the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic or Soviet Armenia.

Innovation stopped with the elimination of private enterprise. The Soviets converted wineries into processing plants and vineyards turned over fruit for brandy distillation or bulk wine production.  Some vineyards were planted in unfavorable locations, while others went neglected or abandoned.

In 1991, after the demise of the Soviet Union, Armenia regained its sovereignty. Young Armenians and those with investment money began to embrace the region’s ancient wine-making techniques and wine culture. As a result, Armenia has become the youngest oldest wine industry in the world.

During the Soviet years a great deal of information was lost, including knowledge of the traits of many indigenous grape varieties, understanding soil suitability, sun preference, as well as how much maceration and aging of the grapes is best. Regaining this knowledge requires years of experimentation.

A few producers work with international grapes mainly for the Russian and other former Soviet republic markets. However, new quality-driven wineries focus on local varieties. Much of the post Soviet revival has included using a combination of modern technology and traditional techniques, such as aging the wine in terracotta jars called karasi.

The drive to produce quality wines has helped winemakers find export partners. Being a landlocked country, Armenia cannot produce low-cost wines. It must become part of the higher-priced market segment.

Armenia contains four main wine regions. The best known is the south-central region of Vayots Dzor, a long, narrow plateau which stands out for its highest elevation vineyards, some which reach almost 6,000 feet above sea level.

The Aragatsotn region is situated at slightly lower elevation. The remaining regions include Ararat, which is located on a sunny plateau, and Armavir, which is a mountainous area in the southwest.

Grape varietals include Areni Noir, which produces medium-bodied red wines with fruits like cherry and strawberry laced with black pepper aromas. It compares in its freshness, silkiness and transparency to Pinot Noir.

Voskehat is Armenia’s signature white grape. The wine has light to medium body. It has floral and stone fruit aromas with notes of herbs and citrus.

Khndoghni, or Sireni, is a red grape that gives black fruit flavors, deep colour, good tannins and the potential to age.

To sum it up, Armenia is small, landlocked and poor. However, it appears to have resilience, an ability to adapt, and a desire to show the world its world-class wines. Many experts feel that there is a future for quality Armenian wines.

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BC’s 2023 Movers and Shakers

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These are the wineries from British Columbia that particularly caught my attention this past year. My impressions are based on several factors: the winery’s performance at both the National Wine Awards and the All Canadian Wine Championships, environmental and sustainability practices of each winery and my own thoughts.

I have listed the wineries in alphabetical order and have included several of their 2023 award winning wines. 

Corcelettes Estate Winery

Corcelettes was ranked as the second best performing small winery at this year’s National Wine Awards.  It is located on 150 acres in British Columbia’s Similkameen Valley. Charlie and Jesce Baessler blend passion, precision and science to craft their expressive, small lot premium wines. No short cuts are taken in finding balance between viticulture, the environment and winemaking.

Corcelettes first vintage was in 2011, consisting of 200 cases. They currently craft 8,200 cases of wine per year, with plans of each future vintage growing in production size.

Their portfolio includes predominantly Syrah and Pinot Noir, crafted from Similkameen grown grapes. There is also a small selection of premium wines from the Micro Lot Series; wines crafted from specially selected grapes available only in limited quantities.

In addition to this year, Corcelettes was among the Top 10 Small Wineries at the 2018, 2019 and 2021 National Wine Awards of Canada.       

This year’s Platinum and Gold award winning wines included:

  • Corcelettes 2020 Syrah Corcelettes Estate Vineyard
  • Corcelettes 2021 Reserve Pinot Noir Micro Lot Series
  • Corcelettes 2022 Oracle Rosé
  • Corcelettes 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Corcelettes Estate Vineyard
  • Corcelettes 2019 Merlot
  • Corcelettes 2020 Merlot
  • Corcelettes 2019 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Corcelettes 2020 Cabernet Franc

Deep Roots Winery

Deep Roots was awarded Best Performing Small Winery at this year’s National Wine Awards where they earned 1 Platinum, 4 Gold, 1 Silver and 4 Bronze medals.

Their Platinum and Gold winners included:

  • Deep Roots 2020 Reserve Chardonnay
  • Deep Roots 2020 Parentage Red
  • Deep Roots 2022 Gamay
  • Deep Roots 2020 Syrah
  • Deep Roots 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Deep Roots is a family owned and operated winery situated on the clay cliffs above Okanagan Lake on the Naramata Bench, where beginning in 2003 the Hardman family began switching their 100-year-old family farm from an apple orchard to a vineyard. Today they have 19 acres of grape vines spread between two Naramata vineyards, using almost exclusively estate fruit.

Initially the grapes were all sold to CedarCreek and Lake Breeze, among others. However, that all changed in 2012 when Will Hardman broke ground to create his own winery.  There are two vineyards at two sites on the Naramata Bench where they grow Muscat, Gamay, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Malbec and Syrah grapes.

All the vineyard work is done by hand, as the Hardmans are passionate about producing grapes that are the best expressions of each varietal.

Road 13 Vineyards

At Road 13 in Oliver, B.C., they farm to protect the land. Their philosophy is that by taking care of the dirt, the dirt then can take care of the roots of the vines, thus producing the best fruit possible. Doing things right means going the extra mile, in both the vineyard and in the cellar. Winemaker, Barclay Robinson and his crew farm organically to produce the best wine possible.

Road 13’s Platinum and Gold award winning wines included the following:

  • Road 13 2020 Select Harvest GSM
  • Road 13 2013 Jackpot Sparkling Chenin Blanc
  • Road 13 2020 John Oliver Cabernet Franc
  • Road 13 2021 Viognier
  • Road 13 2020 John Oliver Petit Verdot
  • Road 13 2022 Honest John’s Rose

SpearHead Winery

SpearHead Winery of Kelowna, B.C, appears on my list of British Columbia’s list of movers and shakers for the second straight year. 

Their focus is on premium quality wine which is produced from grapes grown in their estate vineyard and from selected Okanagan Valley vineyards. The hand harvested grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in small lots.

SpearHead produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling varietals.  Approximately 80% of the 15 acres of vines is comprised of Pinot Noir including four different Dijon clones, 2 California heritage clones and Pommard.  This combination of plantings enables the wine maker to select from the different characteristics of these clones to create a complex Pinot Noir from their home vineyard.  They also draw from several other vineyards in the Okanagan including Golden Retreat in Summerland and Coyote Vineyard in West Kelowna.

Their 2023 Platinum and Gold award winning wines include the following:

  • SpearHead 2020 Club Consensus Pinot Noir
  • Spearhead 2020 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
  • SpearHead 2021 Saddle Block Pinot Noir
  • SpearHead 2021 Cuvée Pinot Noir
  • SpearHead 2021 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
  • SpearHead 2022 Pinot Gris

Wild Goose Winery

It all began in early 1983 when founder Adolf Kruger purchased a piece of land east of Okanagan Falls.

Kruger first planted Riesling and Gewürztraminer with the intention of selling the grapes. Over the following few years, outstanding wines were produced by purchasers of the grapes leading him to the decision to make his own wine.

Wild Goose Winery became the seventeenth winery in British Columbia and was established in June 1990. The winery started producing Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Maréchal Foch. Over time Wild Goose established itself as a premium small producer of VQA wines.

In July of 2021, the Wyse family of Burrowing Owl Vineyards purchased Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery.  Wild Goose’s approach to winemaking has been to grow the highest quality fruit and then transform it into premium wines.

Wild Goose’s 2023 award winning wines include:

  • Best White Wine of the Year – 2022 Gewürztraminer
  • Best Red Wine of the Year – 2021 Pinot Noir
  • 2022 Mystic River Gewürztraminer
  • 2020 Cabernet Merlot

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