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Pecorino Shines with Creamy Asparagus Pasta #italianfwt

 

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For May’s #ItalianFWT topic, Linda of My Full Wine Glass has invited us to explore the wines of Abruzzo and Le Marche. You can read her invitation here. Don’t forget to join us for our Twitter chat on Saturday, May 6 at 11 AM EST ! No need to have written a post for the event, jump in with the #italianfwt hashtag and let us know which wines from these regions you have enjoyed! Unusually, I was spoiled for wine choice for this event! In the end, I chose a Pecorino from Le Marche. I’ve only had this grape a small handful of times before but, loving acid as I do, I instantly fell in love with it. When this pairing came up, I knew that was the direction I wanted go. Le Marche is such an interesting region and one that doesn’t seem to quickly spring to mind for a lot of people when Italy comes up. But, even discounting the wine, it’s quite a fascinating region! Beginning with its name, which you might think doesn’t sound at all Italian. And you’d be right. ‘Marche’ derives from an old German word marca meaning border. In the Middle Ages under the Germanic Holy Roman Empire, this area was sectioned off into feudal territories, ruled by a marchese, called marca. The region retains a little of this multiple division legacy today in its name as le denotes a plural in Italian. 

Wine in Le Marche

While Le Marche accounts for a drop in the proverbial bucket of wine production in Italy (give or take 2%) it is the country’s leader in organic viticulture with some 20% of vineyard area farmed organically. The region’s wine production, spread across five DOCGs and 15 DOCs, is almost 50/50 red/white. However, the preponderance of Montepulciano and Sangiovese puts red wine production a little in the lead.  In addition to these two well-known grapes, Le Marche is home to Lacrima and Vernaccia Nera, two aromatic red grapes produced largely (if not only) here. Of the white grapes, Verdicchio rules the roost but the region also offers interesting local grapes like Passerina and Pecorino.  

Offida DOCG

Located in southeastern Marche, in the Piceno province, the Offida DOCG is relatively recent. Offida DOC (senza the ‘G’) was founded in 2001. Then, in 2011, varietal Pecorino and Passerina and Montepulciano-based red blends were elevated to Offida DOCG. Remaining wines now fall under the Terre di Offida DOC.  Offida Pecorino and Offida Passerina DOCG share several similarities in that they cover the same area, both have to be made with minimum 85% of that grape, and neither can be released prior to March 1 the year following harvest. A confusing ageing system used in many Italian regions that makes memorizing information for the Italian Wine Scholar program significantly more difficult.  The Offida Rosso DOCG must contain also a minimum of 85%, this time of Montepulciano, and mature for at least 24 months (a far more sensible way to measure ageing in my opinion). Interestingly, when these wines fell under the old Offida DOC, a minimum of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon was required! 

The Terre di Offida DOC is an interesting category itself. These wines are all Passarina-based (again a min. of 85%) but they can only be spumante, passito, or vino santo. 

Saladini Pilastri Offida DOC Pecorino, 2021

It’s possible that you’ve read this far with a slightly puzzled expression on your face thinking “wait, isn’t Pecorino a cheese?”. You are not wrong! The grape received its name meaning “little sheep” through similar circumstances as did the sheep. Here the story goes that the grapes were a favorite treat of the sheep flocks as they came through on their way to lower pastures. One thing you learn in Turkey, when a new grape is “discovered” in the wild, there’s usually a shepherd who helped you find it. Interesting that that situation is international.  Pecorino (the grape not the cheese) is thought to be native to the Tronto river in the extreme southwest. While it has a long history, it lost popularity due to its low yielding nature until the 1980s when someone discovered some forgotten vines in an overgrown vineyard. I love it when this happens. Someone then made the wine and its crisp, high acidity and fresh flavors caught fire. My wine came from Saladini Pilastri a winery that seems to appreciate a little mystery as its website offers little information. However, the story seems to go that Count Saladini Pilastri dates back to circa 1000 AD and, while influential, the family didn’t begin making wine until 300 years ago (give or take). In the 1970s they planted new vines and built a new facility (although the old one still stands). The winery sits on 320 ha of vines and olive groves and the vineyards have been organic since 1994. Made with 100% Pecorino, the wine poured a clean, medium lemon with a bouquet of citrus, lemon oil, citrus blossom, and apple. Sipping revealed an unexpected broadness, countered by almost searing acidity and flavors of apple sauce, beeswax, soft herbs, citrus, and a lingering lemony finish. I paired it with a creamy lemon-asparagus-crab pasta. While not a great triumph, the pairing didn’t make me want to fling myself off the balcony in a fit of culinary failure so that’s generally what I consider a win. 

The Abruzzo and Le Marche discussion continues!

• • Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm: “Welcoming Spring with Farinelli Rosé”

• • Cam from Culinary Cam: “Frecantò di Verdure, the Marche’s Version of Ratatouille, with the 2021 Colleleva Lacrima di Morro d’Alba”

• • Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles: “Pecorino from Marche and Montepulciano from Abruzzo, exploring a bit of the wild lands of Italy’s Eastern Coast”

• • Andrea from The Quirky Cork: “Pecorino Shines with Creamy Asparagus Pasta”

• • Jennifer from Vino Travels: “Wines of Le Marche with Il Conte Villa Prandone”

• • Susannah from Avvinare: “Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo, A Perfect Sip for Spring”

• • Gwendolyn from Wine Predator: “Cerasuolo from Organic Famiglia Febo and Biodynamic Lunaria Paired with Abruzzo Inspired Menu: Mussels and Saffron, Pecorino and Pasta”

• • Cindy from Grape Experiences: “Uno Spuntino! Castorani Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Casauria Riserva 2015 with Grilled Pecorino Cheese Sandwiches”

• • Linda from My Full Wine Glass: “Two Verdicchio stars in the Marche wine firmament”

Please Help Turkey and Syria!

Turkey and Syria are still in desperate need of help after the horrific earthquakes that have decimated large areas of Turkey’s south east and northern Syria, please consider donating to one of the relief efforts if you are able:

• Animal rights organization Haytap is helping animals affected by the earthquake, and displaced people who need a place to stay with their pets. Other animal-focused groups such as Dört Ayaklı Şehir (Four-Legged City) and Work Animals Rescue Foundation, are also helping farm animals, street animals, and pets.
• Donate to civil society groups working on the ground to provide immediate relief and medium- to long-term recovery to survivors via UK-based Turkey Mozaik Foundation or US-based Turkish Philanthropy Funds. 
• Donate to the volunteer response being carried out in Turkey by the trusted, independent NGOs İhtiyaç Haritası (Needs Map) or Ahbap.  
• Hayata Destek (Support to Life), is a Turkish NGO experienced in providing humanitarian relief and working with underserved communities. 
• World Central Kitchen provides funds and food to those still living in tents in the affected areas. 
• To support rescue efforts in Syria, donate to White Helmets and SAMS. 
• Field Ready Türk‎iye (Sahaya Hazır İnovasyon Derneği) is a team of engineers working in Gaziantep, Turkey, and northwest Syria who make cheap, low-tech airbags for search and rescue from buildings which have collapsed. “If we move fast they can make more,” a good friend who previously worked with the team writes. “The workshops in Syria also have vast experience of fixing essential medical equipment, and making insulated shelters – both greatly needed right now”