Food and wine pairing: Pesto linguine + riesling
Sommelier Sarah D'Amato and our kitchen present this month's ideal match:
Pesto is terrifically garlicky, and the addition of peppery arugula and heady gorgonzola results in a flavour-packed dish that few wines can contend with. Fortunately, riesling has the ability to stand up to such a savoury sauce. This powerhouse grape delivers an acidity that works to balance the richness of pancetta and blue cheese with a sweetness that enhances the herbaceous, salty flavours and textures in this dish and almost any other. In fact, among wine pros, riesling is widely accepted as the most exciting and food-friendly grape out there.
Rieslings range from very sweet to very dry, but it is the off-dry (barely sweet) style that offers the greatest versatility with food. Although they were among the world’s most expensive wines throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, today rieslings — particularly those from North America — offer exceptional value.
Perfect pairing: Riesling + Linguine with arugula pesto and pancetta
Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2014. Evergreen Vineyard, Washington, from $19.
Cave Spring Estate Riesling 2013, Ontario, from $18.
Mission HIll Riesling Reserve, 2013, British Columbia, from $20.
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