A pasta wine from Arizona? You bet

Our AZ-sourced Page Springs Cellars may say they are a “Rhone House”, but they do produce a few wines that sure seem a lot more Italian than French.  Hey, that’s certainly not a bad thing.  In fact, if you are into pasta and need something with a little local Arizona charm to pair, you’ve come to the right place!

Take their “Vino del Barrio” red wine (not the Blanco).  Since this blend’s first vintage, it has always possessed an Old World character that goes right along with its Italian-inspired label.  Not too heavy, not too light, but with a firm acidity in the backbone that spells pasta with marinara sauce 100%.

This is very important because pasta platters that are heavy in tomato and cheese flavors can clash with a tannic wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or drown out Pinot Noir with the sauce’s richness.  Pairing work like this is often best left to Italian wines, but if you want to try a wine sourced a tad closer to home, Vino del Barrio stands up quite well.

With its translucent ruby color and bouquet of red fruit, this is a pasta partner from the start.  It follows through with a body well integrated with raspberry, ripe cherry and even a little vanilla.   But its low alcohol and well-stated acidity is really what brings it to compare evenly with Italian wines.

For a tasting comparison, serve it alongside a mid-level Chianti and pass both around the table for comments.  Many people will not believe that this wine is actually produced in the Verde Valley, just about 100 miles from here!

You can find it at Total Wine for under $20.  Right now, they are selling the 2012 vintage.  Page Springs recommends drinking Barrio after a year or two with minimal racking.  Retaining its fruitiness is essential to this puppy’s overall character.

Also, if you want to try something even a little lighter, give their “Mule’s Mistake” a try.  It’s also available at Total Wine, but AJs also has it featured right now for $15.99.  It’s a nice stock-up for the warmer months ahead.

Best served chilled from the fridge after 40 minutes (50-55 degrees).  But as with any good red table wine, the bottle can be left to float around the kitchen, amusing those who want something to sip as the pasta pot boils away on the cook top.  Or, slip a half a cup into the marinara sauce.  It really works as a cooking wine too.