As the season shifts and the days get warmer, wine drinkers naturally gravitate from rich, full-bodied selections to lighter options that are more refreshing on the palate.
For Italian wine lovers, spring and summer are when Pinot Grigios and Proseccos truly shine. Now is the perfect time to explore new expressions and discover new pairings with delicious seasonal Italian dishes.
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is one of Italy’s most popular wines (second only to Prosecco!), and while it is enjoyed year-round, it is an especially popular choice in the warm spring and summer months.
The Pinot Grigio grape is the Italian counterpart to the French Pinot Gris grape. Despite sharing the same grape varietal, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are harvested at different times, which results in two distinct styles of wine. Typically, Pinot Grigio grapes are harvested before they are fully ripe in order to retain more acidity in the fruit. Pinot Gris grapes are harvested once they are fully ripe so that the fruit has a higher sugar content.
Preserving fruit’s natural freshness is the key to crafting an exceptionally delicious Pinot Grigio. To achieve the wine’s distinct crispness and bright, citrus-forward character, juice from the early-harvested grapes is fermented in stainless steel tanks. Unlike other more full-bodied wines, it is not typically aged in oak barrels, which better preserves the delicate fruit flavors and zesty acidity.
Pinot Grigio’s light body and crisp fruit notes complement seafood dishes featuring shrimp, calamari, and lobster, which contrasts with their naturally sweet flavors without overpowering them. The bright acidity of Pinot Grigio also cuts through fried dishes and rich sauces, making each bite feel lighter.
Top OIC Food Pairings
- Shrimp Carciofi
- Calamari Fritti
- Lobster Ravioli
- Pesto Shrimp Pizzette
Prosecco
Another top warm-weather wine from Italy is the widely loved Prosecco. Its light and approachable style has made it a global favorite, and it is the country’s most exported wine, with millions of bottles shipped worldwide each year.
Prosecco is made from Glera grapes, a variety that was known as Prosecco until 2009, when the name was changed so that “Prosecco” could refer exclusively to wine produced in designated regions of Italy. The high acidity of these grapes translates beautifully into Prosecco and highlights a distinct range of bright, summery notes – citrus, melon, white flower petals, peach, and pear.
Notably, Prosecco is crafted in four different styles – Brut, Extra-Dry, Dry, and Demi-Sec. This allows for ever more versatility in pairing. Prosecco is also produced as either frizzante (slightly sparkling) or spumante (fully sparkling). To achieve Prosecco’s unique effervescence, most are produced following the “Charmat” method, in which a second fermentation of the wine takes place in a large, pressurized tank. It is then rapidly cooled and bottled under pressure to preserve its bright freshness.
The distinctive acidity and tantalizing bubbles of Prosecco make it easy to pair with a wide range of flavors. It easily balances the saltiness of rich flavor profiles like mushrooms or prosciutto, yet is still delicate enough with just the right amount of crispness to complement rich fish dishes like grilled salmon.
Top OIC Food Pairings
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Classico Salad
- Prosciutto Pizzette
- Atlantic Salmon
