For Italians, wine is a fundamental companion to food. Spring never fails to proffer up a vibrant, mostly verdant, bounty, so pairing wine with spring vegetables is inevitable once the season has arrived.
Whether they're cooked into pasta or risotto or the star of the plate, each veggie features its own distinct qualities to take into account when it comes to wine selection. Here are some tips for pairing Italian wine with spring vegetables.
Tomatoes
While mostly associated with summer, tomatoes do start appearing in the market come springtime. As they're highly acidic, finding the right wine pairing can be tricky. If cooking the tomatoes or use them for pizza or with spaghetti, you’ll want to go with a medium-bodied white wine like South Tyrolean Chardonnay, which comes from northeast Italy, or a young red, such as like Nebbiolo, a grape harvested in Piedmont and Lombardy; Marzemino, which is harvested in Isera, south of Trentino in northeastern Italy; or Nero D’Avola, an indigenous Sicilian variety.
Peas
Peas are a delight, always adding a sweet note to soups, risotto, and pasta. Regardless of the preparation, they always exceptionally exquisite when juxtaposed with a cured meat like guanciale and pancetta. Therefore, it's best to pair pea-centric dishes with white wine that has both floral and fruity notes. We suggest Colli Euganei Bianco from the Veneto or Lizzano Bianco from Puglia.
Zucchini
Zucchini has a high water content, which causes its delicate flavor to dissolve rather quickly. When steamed, zucchini pairs exceptionally well with very young and light white wines, such as Ligurian Vermentino or Pinot Bianco (Pinto Blanc) from Valle d'Aosta.
If you're emulating Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy and decide to try your hand at Spaghetti alla Nerano, couple the pasta with a Campania white such as Falanghina or Fiano.
If you're stuffing the zucchini, it would work best when paired with structured white wines like Malvasia del Carso from Friuli-Venezia Giulia or Grechetto Umbro, a variety with Greek origins that is harvested in Umbria.
Asparagus
With its particular and persistent flavor, asparagus pairs best with white wines that are delicately aromatic, such as Sylvaner dell'Alto Adige, Pinot Bianco dei Colli Asolani in Friuli, or Frascati, one of the quintessential wines of Lazio.