I believe one of the more under-appreciated food and wine pairings is the joy of a vibrant, young Napa Cabernet with hearty Italian cuisine. Before I go any further, I do want to acknowledge that I adore Tuscan culinary delights with my favorite Tuscan reds (see below) for consummate food and wine euphoria. I also adore Barolo but those will be left for an upcoming edition on truffles. I posit that the right Napa Cabernet can be an appropriate culinary enhancement to a wide array of Italian menus, particularly for collectors that enjoy cellars primarily focused on California (vs. Italy). There are two keys to ensure this cross-cultural partnership dazzles your senses…

First, pick a recent vintage Napa Cabernet from a particularly robust vintage. Highly rated releases from Napa’s best recent years such as 2010, 2012 or 2013 should be ideal as they will feature pronounced dark fruit, tannins, and enough acid to stand up to hearty Italian recipes in a similar manner as the celebrated Sangiovese of Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino. Napa Cabernet from less spectacular vintages (e.g. 2011) or more than a decade old could still pair well with straight-forward grilled meat recipes but are less ideal companions for intensely flavorful pasta dishes due to lower tannins and acid. If you have older Napa Cabernet from better vintages such as 2001 or 2005 those would pair best with a focused sampling of Italian cheeses.

The second success criteria when pairing with Cabernet is to focus on menus that feature meats and mushrooms primarily. Many of my favorite Tuscan meals include an array of grilled and braised meats (beef, lamb, veal, rabbit, etc.) and ragus as well as mouthwatering mushroom sauces with truffles. These are all ideal matches with your favorite Napa Cabernet. I’ve posted a list of recent favorites below. Tomato sauces that are not too heavy on garlic can be winners too, but beware of cream sauces, pesto or seafood recipes as they will clash with Napa reds making them seem one dimensional or “dull” tasting.

Recent favorite Italian menus + Napa Cabernets:
· Spinach gnocchi with beef ragu paired with Textbook Reserve du Dumas Cabernet Napa 2013
· Papardelle pasta with fennel sausage paired with Levy & McClellan Ampersand Cabernet Napa 2010
· Pizza with mushrooms, prosciutto, basil and marinara sauce paired with Tor Family To Kalon Cabernet 2012
· Mixed charcuterie and cheeses paired with Meteor Cabernet Napa 2005

Favorite Tuscan wineries include: Fontodi and Castello di Ama in Chianti. Canalicchio, Casanova di Neri, and Valdicava in Montalcino.