Fusilli Primavera in Harmonious Pairing with Friulian White Wines

Fusilli Primavera with Collio bianco Vigne 2004 Zuani

We resume our conversations on food and wine pairings, in the constant pursuit of gustatory harmony between the characteristics of food and those of wine.

Today we will talk about the pairing between a first course – a preparation based on pasta and vegetables – and a Friulian wine, the Collio bianco Vigne di Zuani, an estate exemplarily run by Patrizia Felluga, now also joined by her son, Antonio Zanon. Of course, since we enjoy challenging pairings, we did not choose the current-vintage Collio. Instead, we opened a bottle that had been resting in my cellar for a few years: we are talking about the 2004 vintage. But we will return to the wine later.

We were talking about Fusilli Primavera, a preparation that calls for the main seasonal vegetables, scamorza, and plenty of basilico.

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 400 g of fusilli;
• 1 melanzana;
• 1 peperone;
• 1 zucchina;
• 250 g of smoked scamorza;
• Basilico to taste;
• Extra virgin olive oil;
• Salt and a pinch of chili pepper.

Preparation of fusilli primavera:
Cut the melanzana, peperone, and zucchina into small cubes and wilt them over low heat in a pan lightly greased with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Prepare plenty of basilico and the scamorza cut into cubes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain it three minutes early, being careful to reserve some of the cooking water. Then add the pasta to the vegetables in the pan, still over low heat, until the preparation is well blended.

Then turn off the heat, add the scamorza while continuing to stir everything. When the cheese becomes stringy, add the basilico, another drizzle of oil, and a dusting of chili pepper.

These are the characteristics of the Fusilli Primavera:

• Pasta: fairly perceptible sweet tendency;
• Vegetables: perceptible bitter tendency;
• Smoked scamorza: perceptible fattiness and aromaticity.
• Basilico: highly perceptible aromaticity.

The preparation is characterized mainly by aromaticity, then by its bitter tendency and the fattiness of its components. Noteworthy is the succulence derived from chewing, as well as the gustatory-olfactory persistence (PGO). The dish calls for a wine characterized by considerable softness, as well as a significant fresh-savory component and good alcohol content and intense aromatic persistence (PAI).

The Collio bianco Vigne Zuani is a classic Collio blend. This wine contains in more or less equal parts no fewer than four grape varieties: Friulano, Chardonnay, Pinot grigio, and Sauvignon blanc. It is vinified exclusively in stainless steel and, after a few months' rest in bottle, is released onto the market – to then be uncorked, if well cellared, even after many years.

In color deep golden yellow, the nose is built on ripe fruity notes, exotic fruit, apricot jam, candied orange peel, powder, a deep mineral note, and a light hint of nail varnish on the finish.
The taste is characterized by the great balance achieved between alcohol and glycerin, masterfully managed by the significant fresh-savory component. On the palate, the wine's acidity stands out, carrying the fruity notes at length with a hint of mint on the finish. A wine that is at the height of its maturity.

Let us now see how food and wine integrated.

The aromaticity and bitter tendency of the dish were well countered by the sumptuous softness of the Collio. The fattiness and sweet tendency blended well with the fresh-savory component of the wine. The gustatory-olfactory persistence of the Fusilli and the PAI of the wine walked in step for a long while. The structures of the preparation and the wine compensated each other beautifully.
The pairing is harmonious. We had some doubts about the freshness of the decade-old Collio, but the uncertainty was quickly dispelled. The acidity, as we have seen, performed its role admirably.

One final note on this splendid wine. Antonio Zanon had recently confided to me that, during a tasting, the Collio bianco Vigne 2004 had shown some signs of decline. I would respectfully disagree. If only all decade-old Collio wines showed such "decline" ..