This month for #ItatianFWT we are exploring Barolo wines. Barolo is the top of the Italian reds according to some, and even if you don't know this wine, you soon will. Barolo is a red wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. The grape grown there is Nebbiolo. Barolo wines must be 100% Nebbiolo. It's a unique grape that is the first to bloom and the last to ripen, giving it a long growing season.
Barolo wines are rich, full-bodied with lots of acid and tannin. The typical nose is rose flowers, dried herbs, and minerals. Barolo wines must be aged in oak for two years and one year in the bottle. If it is a Riserva, the wine must be three years in oak and be at least five years old.
For the depth, elegance, and richness of the wine, Barolo's wines are very affordable. To be honest, it is much more than what I typically pay for a bottle of wine. At $40 a bottle, I consider this a splurge wine for us. That being said, it was so delicious that I would have predicted that it cost a lot more.
We chose the 2017 Barolo Albe and purchased it at our favorite Italian grocers on The Hill in Saint Louis. It had the typical flavor profile of dried roses, baking spices, and tar. It is 100% Nebbiolo and shows off bright red fruits, mints, lavender, and cinnamon on the palate. It was aged 18 months in Slavonian oak, racked once, and then blended right before bottling.
With this hardy goodness, we decided to pair it with homegrown, grass-fed beef. Bob made a hearty beef pie that paired beautifully with this complex and elegant wine. The rich beef dish stood up to the wine and the wine enhanced the beef with the complexities of spice. The experience of eating a weekday dish was heightened by the beautiful wine, making it a very special occasion.
Beef Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 2 oz tomato puree
- 3/4 c cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 T dijon mustard
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t onion powder
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t olive oil
- dash of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl mix eggs, spices, mustard, and tomato puree.
- Fry beef, drain.
- Allow the beef to slightly cool and then add the egg mixture and stir until completely combined. Stir in half the cheese.
- Grease an oven-proof dish and add in the mixture. Smooth down and add the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Cover and let the pie sit for 15 minutes.
- Barolo in His Blood: Aldo Clerico and Bagna Cauda by Wine Predator...Gwendolyn Alley
- Beef and Mushroom Pie with a Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2017 by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Beef Pie and Barolo Wine by Our Good Life
- Ending the Year with Barolo and a Revisit to Fratelli Revello by Vino Travels
- Family Favorites: Spaghetti Bolognese + Bruna Grimaldi Camilla Barolo 2016 by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Touring & Dining at Marchesi di Barolo by Somm's Table
- Visiting with An Old Friend, Barolo from Ciabot Berton. by Avvinare
I don't know what I like better, all that cheesy goodness or a puffed pastry crust. Would it be too sinful to do both?
ReplyDeleteQuite the weeknight treat. That dish looks like something my kids would love. I’d have to try it.
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