BY A HAPPY coincidence, this year’s annual celebration of Champagne (the 4th Friday of October) happens to be the date (the 25th October) that in Rome nearly thirty years ago was chosen by the World Pasta Congress to be ever afterwards World Pasta Day.
The world’s most exuberant wine, applauded on Champagne Day, finds its partner in a globally popular and sustainable food and Champagne Bureau UK marks the occasion by selecting five pasta dishes and pairing each of them with the most suitable Champagne style. The suggestions can be prepared and enjoyed at home or in a restaurant that has risen to the occasion.
The drink for World Pastra Day
Tagliatelle all Bolognese, the classic Italian dish, is well-matched with a Champagne Rosé. The pink wines that are light and fruity contrast pleasantly with the depth of the Bolognese while more full-bodied ones, with aromas of burnt organic matter (empyreumatic is the expert’s term), harmonises the rich flavour of the ragu.
Linguine alle Vongole is neatly partnered with a light Champagne Blanc de Blancs that will enhance the tender taste of the clams with notes of almonds and hazlenuts. The same wine is also perfectly suited for the rustic taste of Trofie al Pesto, the Ligurian speciality with its unmistakable taste of pesto requiring a floral lightness of touch to cut through the basil, garlic and cheese.
Raising a glass for Champagne Day
The silky taste of Spaghetti alla Carbonara is ideally balanced with Champagne Brut, a wine multi-faceted enough to balance the rich and creamy taste of the pasta.
A wine pairing for a feisty and richly delicious plate of Bucatini all’Amatriciana can be tricky and it calls for Champagne Blanc de Noirs. Made strictly from black grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir and Meunier, its vinosity and complex tones of red fruits, vanilla, pepper, and cinnamon go down a treat with Amatriciana.
by Sean Sheehan