There are thousands of vineyards in Italy, and while many wines are produced in modern distilleries, some rustic villages still produce wine in the old fashion way by stomping the grapes under their bare feet, claiming this makes the wine taste the best. Commercially available wines are of course prepared under much more hygienic conditions, so don’t worry about the bottles you’re considering purchasing from your local wine shop.
The truth is that there are very few rules to follow when pairing food and wine, and even those have exceptions. When deciding which fruit of the vine to serve with your meal, the important thing to remember is that this should be an enjoyable experience. Although there are some basic guidelines, it’s mostly about personal tastes.
Many new wine drinkers tend to be very nervous about the concept of pairing wine with food. There are plenty of resources out there which will make you think that this pairing is overly complicated, and that your guests will look down on you if you choose an “incorrect” pairing. The selection of appropriate food and wine pairings was at one point an art practiced only by the gourmand or the Maitre d’ at your favorite expensive restaurant.
