CleverRoot

w i n t e r 2 0 1 8 | 6 5 by Lyn Farmer The cultural duality of Italy's Alto Adige/ Südtirol region is im- mediately apparent in its name. This unique region is tucked away in the far northeastern corner of the country and borders Austria and Switzerland; its towns have both Italian and German signs and three languages are spoken throughout. Alto Adige was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for nearly a thousand years before it was annexed by Italy after World War I. The Germanic influence lingers not only in the area's Alpine scenery, but also in its language, food, and wine. We asked three outstanding chefs in the United States to create a dish that pairs with some of their favorite wines from Alto Adige, and the resulting matches highlight the region's cultural and culinary crossroads in the foothills of the Alps. PICCOLO SOGNO, Chicago photos by Rebecca Peplinski Chef Tony Priolo of Chicago's Piccolo Sogno works closely with business partner and sommelier Ciro Longobardo to craft menus seamlessly integrating Italian wine and food. "Knowing the region is essen- tial," Priolo says. "Italian cuisine isn't just one cuisine—it is many. Italy has been a unified country for less than 200 years, so each region has its own identity." What Priolo particularly loves about the northeastern provinces is their variety, both geographically and culturally. "In Alto Adige, you have the Alps and Dolomite mountains in one direction, and you have the Adriatic Sea a hundred kilometers in another direction," he explains. "You have borders with Switzerland and Austria and a long tradition of several cultures mixing together." Priolo sought to capture that variety in his pairings by pouring an Alpine Sauvignon Blanc from Can- tina Terlano with a traditional Italian seafood stew. The 2015 Cantina Terlano Winkl Sauvignon displays the brightness of a cool, high-altitude climate, but picks up some richness by spending six months on its lees and aging partly in large casks. "The result is a wine with balance, great mouthfeel, and good acidity that pairs well with my shellfish and seafood stew," Priolo says. "The stew has its own acidity from tomatoes, and gets a bit of pungency from garlic- rubbed toast." For the second course, Priolo and Longobardo chose the 2014 Hans Rottensteiner Lagrein Riserva, a red wine that in itself highlights the singularity of Alto Adige. Lagrein, an indigenous grape, produces a deep ruby color but needs warmth to ripen. That might seem a scarce commodity in an Alpine region, but the area experiences 300 days of sun annually; the river basin surrounding the regional capital of Bolzano harnesses the abundant summer sun's warmth, and the Lagrein is able to ripen into a vibrant wine similar to Syrah in its deeper color. It's also akin to Pinot Noir in its acidity and red fruit qualities: That acidity, as well as the wine's spice notes, prompted Priolo to match it with housemade pappardelle with ragu of cinghiale (wild boar) marinated in red wine. "It can be a surpris- ing pairing because the color of the wine leads you to believe it is heavy, while in fact it is quite light and agile on the palate," he says. Chef Tony Priolo and Co-Owner/Sommelier Ciro Longobardo at Piccolo Sogno in Chicago. Pappardelle al cinghiale paired with the 2014 Hans Rottensteiner Lagrein Riserva Alto Adige DOC.

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