Il mosto fiore - la svinatura - Photo © willer1973
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I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Molise Region
An article by: Levi Reiss
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the
Molise region of central Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that
you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.
Molise is a small region of central eastern Italy on the Adriatic
Sea. It is one of the most unspoiled regions of Italy, about 90% hills
and mountains. Its total population is less than a third of a million
people, which makes it the second least populous region of Italy after
the Valle d'Aosta. Molise was associated with Abruzzo until 1963.
Agricultural products include livestock, pigs, sheep, and goats,
wheat and a variety of vegetables including giant celery. The coast
furnishes seafood and fish. Polenta (cornbread) is as popular as pasta. |
Isernia is the largest city with a population somewhat less than
ninety thousand. This area was first settled about 700,000 years ago
(not a typographical error) and is of archeological interest. The
regional capital, Campobasso, was the site of major battles during World
War II. If you love old European cities consider visiting Larino, even
if it is not mentioned in major tourist guides. (I’m not naming names.)
Molise devotes about nineteen thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks
18th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is
about nine and a half million gallons, also giving it an 18th place. The
region produces 3 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine
Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled
Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Less than 4% of Molise wine
carries the DOC designation. Molise is home to almost two dozen major
and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include Chardonnay
and Trebbiano (in particular the Italian Trebbiano Toscano subvariety).
The best known Italian white variety is Falanghina, the main component
in the wine reviewed below.
The best known strictly Italian red varieties are Montepulciano,
Agliacano, and Tintilia.
Before reviewing the Molise wine and cheese that we were lucky enough
to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here
are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring
this beautiful region. Start with Taccozze alla Crema a’Asparagi,
Hand-Cut Pasta Squares in Asparagus Cream. Then move on to Zuppa di
Pesce alla Termolese, Seafood Pot from Termoli, a resort on the Adriatic
Sea. For dessert indulge yourself with Calcuini del Molise, Sweet
Chestnut Fritters.
Wine Reviewed Rami Di Majo Norante Falanghina Del Molise 2005 12.5%
alcohol about $11.50
I’ll start by quoting the marketing materials. “Made from the
well-known Falanghina grape (with a little help from the ubiquitous
Fiano variety), this delivers fresh peach and apricot flavors with a
good citrus spine. It’s crisp and refreshing. And goes well with
slightly spicy seafood or chicken, or makes an excellent sipping wine.”
I first tasted this wine with fried chicken cutlets, rice, and corn
on the cob. I found it smooth with apricot but no peach flavors. It had
more of a citrus smell than taste. I added a cayenne pepper sauce to the
meat, and the wine rose to the challenge.
I then tried Talapia filets cooked in an onion sauce with a side of
green beans in tomato sauce. I added too much cayenne pepper sauce,
which was too harsh for the wine and for the fish itself. However, even
with a deadened palate the wine was pleasant.
In the presence of a commercial chicken pot pie with a chili and lime
hot sauce (but not too much) the wine was citrusy and refreshingly
acidic. On the down side, the wine was short.
Kube, also known as kibbe, is a Middle-Eastern specialty of balls of
ground rice filled with ground meat that cooks slowly. The wine was an
excellent companion, its acidity cutting the grease nicely. The word
gossamer came to mind.
Sometimes we have to make compromises. As you can guess from the
name, Pecorino Toscano is not a cheese from the Molise region. It is a
sheep’s milk cheese that has been made in Tuscany and neighboring Umbria
for thousands of years. Soft Pecorino Toscano is white with a tinge of
yellow, while semi-hard Pecorino Toscano is pale yellow. It is
moderately strong smelling and has a complex nutty flavor. In the
presence of this cheese, our was crisp and yet unctuous.
Final verdict. This wine is a winner. When making notes on this wine
I mistakenly identified it as a DOC wine but I double-checked the label.
It is not a DOC wine, but in my opinion is better than many DOC wines
that I’ve tasted.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the
Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other
wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an
Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is
www.theworldwidewine.com. You
can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.
Wine Italy |
