Wine With…Ravioli

Wine With. . . Ravioli

by Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas

During a recent two-week visit to Italy we tasted some wonderful wines and had several memorable meals (‘But all meals in Italy are memorable,’ a friend points out.)  Everywhere we went, from rustic alpine farmhouses to chic outposts of contemporary cuisine, one of the recurring menu themes was ravioli.  We enjoyed this pasta in a number of different guises–stuffed with ingredients ranging from pumpkin to porcini, although traditional ricotta cheese was a favored filling.  One of the most unforgettable variations on the theme were the two ravioli dishes at a simple roadside trattoria in the Veneto, one filled simply with a mix fresh herbs, the other with grappa-spiked ricotta (an astonishingly delicious concept). In general, sauces were fairly simple, usually along the lines of olive oil and/or butter. 

As the ravioli in Italy was generally sandwiched between the antipasti and the main course, we seldom ordered a wine specifically to go with it.  Back home-where ravioli is more apt to be the main course for an ordinary weeknight dinner-we began thinking about the wines that might be most congenial with it.  After deciding to put this question to the test, we picked up two packages of ravioli at our local supermarket, one just ricotta, the other ricotta and spinach.  We simmered equal portions of melted butter and olive oil for a few minutes with a tablespoon of finely minced fresh sage, spooned the mixture over the pasta, and showered grated parmesan over it all.  Then we sat down to taste the ravioli with twelve bottles of wine-six white, six red. 

We’d anticipated that white wine would be a better match (this is, after all, a somewhat delicate dish), but to our surprise, the opposite proved true.  Among the acceptable whites, our expectation that a robust, somewhat buttery Chardonnay would perform reasonably well was validated, and likewise a full-bodied Pinot Gris.  But the more delicate whites we tried simply bombed, leading us to conclude that fleshy, aromatic whites expressing fruit with some oak are best suited to this particular dish.  More of the reds impressed us, though the one big, brash Cabernet we tried did overwhelm the dish.  The general characteristics shared by the winning red, regardless of grape variety or geographic origin, included a light-to-medium body, evident by not over-ripe fruitiness, soft tannins, and a substantial finish.  The richness of the ravioli turned out to make the dish as good if not a better partner for these red wines than for the whites. 

Selection

Approx. Price

Comments

Arcano, Chianti Colli Senesi (Italy) 2004 (Imported by Excelsior Wine & Spirits)

  $15

The sweet cherry fruit in this fairly simple Chianti, along with the faintly earthy undertone, provided an appealing foil for the pasta.  The wine was just as easy to drink as the pasta was to eat.

Castello Banfi, Sant’Antimo (Italy) Chardonnay ‘Fontanelle‘ 2005

(Imported by Banfi Vintners)

 $19

A buttery quality helped this Chardonnay stand up to the pasta, while a herbal note in the finish added appeal-echoing, perhaps, the sage in the sauce.

J Vineyards & Winery, Russian River Valley (California) Pinot Gris 2005

 $20

A delectable wine and a delicious match, this fleshy Pinot Gris married nicely with the ravioli.  The pasta seemed to give it added heft, while the wine made the dish seem livelier-true synergy to be sure.

Prazo de Roriz, Douro (Portugal) 2004

(Imported by Premium Port Wines)

  $15

We’re not sure exactly why this match worked, but work it did-and well.  The wine is fairly deep and has a meaty undertone, but it never seemed too powerful for the pasta, and in fact added depth to the dish.  All in all, a very satisfying pairing.

Villa Maria, Marlborough (New Zealand) Pinot Noir ‘Private Bin’ 2005

(Imported by Vineyard Brands)

  $21

This young Pinot seemed almost too juicy on its own when we took a sip before sitting down to the meal.  When paired with the ravioli, though, it was delicious-becoming much leaner and better focused, with extremely attractive cherry flavors that married beautifully with the cheese-filled and cheese-covered pasta.  Yum!