Cacio e Pepe, a pasta dish traditional of Roman cuisine that has been winning fans the world over. Pronounced in English as “cacho e pepe” – its name comes from the main ingredients of cheese and pepper. Creamy with just the right bite, there is nothing not to love about this dish that originated hundreds of years ago as a staple for sheep herders in the hills of Lazio. It is ideally served with handmade pasta known as Tonarelli. But which wine pairing goes best with Tonarelli Cacio e Pepe? Here are three suggestions from Sensorial Wine Analyst Luca Maroni.
Wine Pairing – Cacio e Pepe with a Chianti Classico
Paronza Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Casale dello Sparviero
“A clean, violet-colored blackberry jam that in Casale dello Sparviero’s Chianti Classico Gran Selezione reveals maximum tenor in both texture and softness of expression. On the palate this wine is truly a fabulous cream of fabulously soft black grape. Its scent of blackberry and flower is an authentic triumph of aroma, a true marvel of nature. Impressive in its combining power with fragrance, roundness with thickness, fullness with softness and turgidity.
Every aspect that qualifies the excellence of a red, is brought to life in its pure pulp. Hence its dense tannicity, is matched by its softness. To its plumpness of texture, a persuasiveness of pure crisp fruit is intimately and creamily conjoined. It is the work of the land in the countryside, the technical know-how, of transformation in the cellar, performed by man with such respect and skill that its aroma is of the utmost persuasiveness. It becomes a child of the sun – a fiery concentrator of its yes mighty but expressive and chlorophyllic nature. And, without qualms one then indulges in its so natural, first, spicy, lymphatic blackberry essence.”
Wine Pairing – Cacio e Pepe with a Sangiovese Rosso di Montalcino
Rosso di Montalcino Leonardo Da Vinci
“This Leonardo da Vinci Rosso di Montalcino comes from fruit of superior softness and density.”
This red, chosen by Maroni for a perfect pairing with Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, releases the aromas of Tuscany. Deep purple-red in color, it is clear with contiguous arches. On the nose it is very fine and enveloping with a distinct hint of cherry and red fruits that give way to a slightly spicy finish. On the palate it is intense with a long persistence, and presents a good balance between its various characteristics.
Wine Pairing: Cacio e Pepe with an Oak-Aged Chardonnay
Alto Adige Chardonnay Riserva Doc Vigna Castel Ringberg Elena Walch
“Absolutely fine organoleptic notes from Elena Walch’s selection of wines, just as with the vanilla banana of their Chardonnay Riserva Castel Ringberg.”
The Chardonnay Riserva Vigna Castel Ringberg, bright golden yellow in color, expresses a complex bouquet that ranges from exotic fruits, including papaya, roasted almonds and a hint of dandelion honey and light roasting. On the palate, it convinces with its interplay of strength, crisp and elegant structure, emphasizing its mineral vein and highlighting its creamy freshness and savoriness. It presents with a long, clean finish.