At Lindley Hall in London, this week’s Real Italian Wine & Food event offered an exciting opportunity for visitors to discover a variety of Italian food and drink products that may not have yet gained widespread recognition in the UK.
| Wine/Drink | Producers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Umbrian extra virgin olive oil | Musivum | Geographical designations and blending play a key role in determining its taste. Single varietal DOP Umbria Colli Martini olive oil is less perfumed on the nose and “spicier” on the palate, while blended oils are more aromatic and complex. |
| Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG | Cantina Tudernum | A specialist in local grapes, most notably the white Grechetto di Todi and the infamously tannic Sagrantino, which is not intended to be an easy-drinking wine but is best alongside rich, strongly-flavoured food, especially Umbria’s famous sausages. |
| Prendas Vermentino di Sardegna DOC | Cantine di Dolianova | A suitable wine to go alongside most seafood dishes, but may get lost when served with bottarga. A more suitable wine is the Rosada, a Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Rosato with a touch of tannins and richness. |
| ‘nduja | Salumificio Ussia S.R.L. | A very spicy spreadable sausage from Calabria which has become a phenomenon in the UK. Salumificio Ussia S.R.L. also produces soppressata and guanciale. |
The parallels between wine and olive oil tasting are quite striking, with geographical designations and blending playing a significant role in determining the taste.
A visit to Umbria is no longer a secret, with direct flights from Stansted to Perugia and the region’s relative affordability making it increasingly popular with British tourists.
However, as great as it is to visit Umbria and drink the wines in situ, there were several producers seeking ways to get their wines into the UK market, including Cantina Tudernum, one of the region’s biggest wineries with over 170 associated growers.
Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG is a specialist in local grapes, with the Sagrantino grape being infamously tannic, but it is best paired with rich, strongly-flavoured food, such as Umbria’s famous sausages.
Pairing a wine with bottarga, the salted and dried roe of grey mullet, can be a challenge, but not impossible. Cantine di Dolianova produces the key varieties of Sardinia and is also looking for a UK importer.
Calabria will become a tourist hotspot in the near future, thanks to the introduction of new flights from RyanAir, which will offer 220 weekly flights on 22 routes this summer.
Salumificio Ussia S.R.L. produces a range of Calabrian products, including ‘nduja, which has become a phenomenon in the UK, and is also looking for a UK importer.
A visit to Calabria could be in order, given the growing recognition of its wines, including the varieties that are more closely associated with Sicily, such as Nerello Mascalese and Zibibbo.
The wine industry is constantly evolving, and new and exciting products are emerging all the time. It will be interesting to see how these products continue to develop and what the future holds for the Italian wine and food scene.
Key Takeaways
- Wine and olive oil tasting share many similarities, particularly with regards to geographical designations and blending.
- Umbria is no longer a secret destination for wine lovers, but there are still many producers seeking to get their wines into the UK market.
- Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG is a specialist in local grapes and is best paired with rich, strongly-flavoured food.
- Pairing a wine with bottarga can be a challenge, but not impossible.
- Calabria is set to become a tourist hotspot in the near future, thanks to the introduction of new flights from RyanAir.
Recommended Wines and Products
- Prendas Vermentino di Sardegna DOC – a suitable wine to go alongside most seafood dishes.
- Rosada, Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Rosato – a more suitable wine to pair with bottarga.
- Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG – a specialist in local grapes.
- Umbrian extra virgin olive oil – a great example of the region’s produce.
- ‘nduja – a very spicy spreadable sausage from Calabria.
- Soppressata – a spicy salami from Salumificio Ussia S.R.L.
- Guanciale – a fixture of any carbonara worth its salt.
This week’s Real Italian Wine & Food event was a great opportunity to discover a variety of Italian food and drink products that may not have yet gained widespread recognition in the UK.