Sicilian Wine Pairings with Sicilian Cuisine, 1st part

When pairing, this wine would accommodate lighter fish and vegetable dishes.  When browsing through the recipes posted in the Sicilian Cuisine Blog, I felt this wine would mirror the flavors of the lemon flavored artichokes as the wine pairs very well with vegetables and the lemon flavors in the artichoke dish would be reflected in the citrus characteristics in the wine.

Nerello Mascalese is an important red grape grown at high altitudes in Sicily, and displays characteristics of red fruits and berries with a slight smokiness and is relatively tannic. The Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali Rose is a salmon-pink wine, full of red fruit aromas and flavors including strawberry, raspberry, and cherry, with just a hint of smoke that reflects the volcanic soil present where the grapes are grown. The wine is soft and subtle with a modest finish, and is best paired with light pasta and seafood dishes. I would be interested in trying this wine with the mussel soup posted in the Sicilian Cuisine Blog which consists of fresh mussels, red pepper, plum tomato, and other ingredients. I believe the freshness and light fruitiness would compliment the mussels and tomato nicely, and the slight sweetness of the wine would provide a very good contrast to the red pepper.

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