Matching food with my Chianti...

[Drew1701E]

Hello, everyone...

I'm new to the board (obviously), but I am a casual fan of wines (a rarity here at my school, where the drink of choice is usually Natural Light or some similarly tasteless beer) and have been enjoying Chiantis in particular for some time.

My question is this. I have become quite fond of the Ruffino Chianti Classico, Riserva 1997. What foods would go well with this particular wine? I've heard that Italian foods go well with Italian wines, but does anyone have some good suggestions? I wouldn't mind some cheese suggestions, too - it would be easier to enjoy that in the comfort of my own room without having to cook anything. (I'll leave the cooking for the weekends!)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, all!

Drew

[Innkeeper]

Hi Drew, and welcome to the Wine Board. Chianti used to be a wine that would go with anything Italian and then some. Now it is a much more sophisticated wine. The Classico Riserva goes with very powerful dishes and hard cheeses. It will even tame Veal Marsala. If you just unscrew a bottle of pasta sauce, warm it up, and dump it over said pasta; you will have too much of a wine with your Classico Riserva. For that you may want to try a Salice Salentino which are available everywhere now.

[Thomas]

Drew1701E,

With that Chianti try a good Reggiano Cheese, and maybe a pepperoni too--can't go wrong with that in the dorm.

[barnesy]

Ah...Natty light and ice....fond memories of beer pong at Penn...

Chianti is more fun.

Barnesy