Italian Grill - Mario Batali [1]
Let’s start with vini bianchi. Grilling presents an opportunity to break out some fatter, barrel-fermented Italian whites—a “super-white” Friulian blend, perhaps, or maybe a big-name Chardonnay from Tuscany or Piedmont. You may have been saving such wines to show off at a fussier, more “special” occasion, but they might actually show their best around the grill. Think of how well a big Chardonnay-based white such as Antinori’s Cervaro della Sala or Joe Bastianich’s Vespa Bianco would complement the toasty, bready flavors of grilled polenta or pizza. You’ll also crave some vinous viscosity with richer seafoods like lobster, salmon, and especially monkfish. These days it’s fashionable to dismiss oaky wines as being overpowering, but add some grill char and other big flavors to the equation, and suddenly a little wood toast and weight is just what you need.
More than anything else, however, what you’ll need from whites is acidity. There’s a lot of citrus in these recipes—Fennel with Sambuca and Grapefruit, Baby Octopus with Olive-Orange Vinaigrette, Lobster with Lemon Oil—so while it’s nice to have a wine with big flavor, it can’t be flabby. It needs to have grip, if for no other reason than to battle all that lemon or other citrus juice, and, of course, there’s a difference between a white wine that is simply acidic and one that has actual flavor and structure. When I’m looking for bold flavor combined with a good backbone of acidity, I look to Vermentino di Sardegna (lots of pungent green-herb notes for all the mint and thyme you’ll find in these recipes); Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige (a nice, rich, almost Chardonnay-like feel, but usually without the oak); Tocai Friulano from Friuli (great minerality and Sauvignon-like grassiness, perfect for the likes of Calamari Spiedini in Lemon Leaves and the Warm Shrimp Salad, among others); and Fiano di Avellino from Campania (also a little minty and herbal, with a jolt of citrus).
On the red side, my go-to barbecue wine is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. It’s big and bold, with a satisfyingly deep color and tons of rich fruit, yet the tannins are nice and soft, so as not to fight with the char—or the black pepper, or the chili pepper flakes, or whatever heat-inducing item Mario chooses to throw at you. Although there are many instances where I’d go with some blunt-force tannins—what else but a burly, tannic Brunello di Montalcino with bistecca alla fiorentina—there are plenty of big, meaty Italian reds with softer contours. If you haven’t yet turned on to the tarry Teroldegos of Trentino, or to the exceedingly funky Lagreins of Alto Adige, there is no better time to do so than when you’re grilling meat; these wines actually taste a little charred around the edges (I’m not kidding).
Other good all-purpose grilling reds would include Carignano del Sulcis, from Sardegna (I’d pair this rustic red with the Spit-Roasted Leg of Lamb and sit down in the grass and eat like a Sardinian shepherd); Barbera d’Alba, from Piedmont (a little more acidic tang and brightness and thus workable with lots of the poultry preparations); and any number of bold, fruity rosatos from all over the boot, which are great for taming peppery heat but counterpunching with flavor. (Mario’s wife, Susi, is partial to the fey, copper-colored rosés of Bandol in France, and she has hated every single gutsy Italian rosé I’ve served her over the years, but I remain undaunted in my support for Italian rosato, especially in this char-broiled context!)
Is there ever an instance where you wouldn’t be bold? Well, if you’ve got a lot of chili heat in a preparation or a generous coating of black pepper, your best wine may be the less assertive one: go with something crisp, soft, cooling, something that’s content to clean up after the dish rather than engage it in a debate. With whites, opt for no oak, bright acidity, low alcohol—and there’s plenty of squeaky-clean,