Wine pairing for bucatini all'Amatriciana?

Any suggestions under $15?

I already have a bottle of Shiraz and Carignane. Will either of these work?

shakezula wrote:Any suggestions under $15?

I already have a bottle of Shiraz and Carignane. Will either of these work?

My approach to this sort of question is likely out of step with that of most folks and I can be promiscuous, as it were, with regard to going red or white in lots of instances where others insist on one or the other.

For me, a dish such as bucatini alla matriciana, with a proper dose of red chile in it, goes especially well with a straightforward and properly chilled white. My first choice along these lines would be a Frascati, which is, of course, like the dish, from Lazio.*

Wines from the Provincia di Roma and the Provincia di Latina that I'm fond of and would fit here are the Velletri. A red Velletri would work very well. But any simple red from central or southern Italy would also work well here. In general, I don't think it makes sense to get too picky with pairings with traditional Italian dishes of this ilk; I do, however, shun like the plague 'big' flavoured California style liquids for these (and most other) applications.

Of course, in Italy at least, I'd be thrilled to get a slightly sweet, slightly effervescent, rose-coloured young wine... the sort of stuff most people who "know" wine scorn but Italians and Provençals drink at meals with the greatest delight.

Buon appetito e salute!
Antonius

*Yes, I know, the dish bears the name of a town in the Abruzzi, in the border zone with central Lazio, but the dish is asscoiated first and foremost with Lazio.

Try looking for an Aglianico from Basilicata in southern Italy if you want a red wine. The staples from that region happen to be lots of tomato and red chile so the wines from the region tend to stand up to some heat.

Lots of local winestores are carrying the Aglianico del Vulture by I Portali these days. It's within your budget and tastes like an Aglianico should. But do let it breathe for a while and your ability to delay gratification will be rewarded. You might also find Salvatore Molettieri's Irpinia for a good price. It's more flinty than the I Portali, but I like it.

I've been on an Aglianico (a grape supposedly brought to Italy by the ancient Greeks and made famous in Falernum) tear lately and have found some nice wines, but, alas, the prices for this grape are going up. The Campanian version, Taurasi, has been pricey for a while, but the wines of Basilicata are more reasonable.

I would second Antonius' recommendation, too. You might try some of the whites from Lazio or Campania. I prefer either the old standards or the really new, creative vintings like Vertù Romane, a blend of malvasia and viognier.

I did a 2-part column for the _K.C. Star_ long ago, which consisted of

Part 1. Find the absolute best Buffalo Wings in the City, which we did;

Part b. Find out if anything vinous goes with the heat (not to mention the vinegar).

To the astoundment of me and my intrepid crew, none of the hypothesized Right Wines went. My pre-event fave, a huge Alsatian gewurz, failed miserably. Nothing worked. So much for professional expertise.

Then one of the wine reps who was unofficially sneaking along with us suggested, in a quiet, suitably deferential voice, "I just happen to have a slightly chilled minor Beaujolais, which might maybe perhaps suit."

And suit it did.

So, in a pinch, when the chile hit is a'comin', I always manage to have a fresh, fruity, slightly chilled minor Beaujolais ready to put out the fire.

Makes for a nice combo.

Geo