It’s no secret that I don’t like cheese – in fact I hate the damned stuff – so it should come as no surprise that a wine with the same name as a prominent cheese was waaay down the list of new tipples for me to try.
Thankfully, Pecorino doesn’t taste of its namesake cheese, though there are unconfirmed rumours that they happen to go well together. I took the plunge a few years ago after I noticed it on the by-the-glass list at West (the restaurant of The Twelve Hotel in Barna, near Galway), which has an excellent list all round, put together by General Manager & Sommelier Fergus O’Halloran.
Since then I’ve tried many Pecorinos? Pecorini? Pecorino-based wines that I’ve liked. The majority come from the Marche region of Italy which doesn’t get as many wine column inches as Tuscany, Piedmont and others, but has its unique charms. As an interesting alternative to the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio the white wines of the area are popping up in more and more merchants, supermarkets and restaurants.
Here are a couple of contrasting examples that I’ve tried recently:
Umani Ronchi Terre di Chiete IGT Pecorino 2014 (€14.99, Marks and Spencer)
{Disclosure: sample kindly provided for review on request}
This is a relatively straightforward example of the grape,which sports a modest 12.5% alcohol. Healthy grapes are cold fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain fresh fruity flavours. It doesn’t go through “malo” (malolactic fermentation) so keeps zippy acidity, but does spend four to five months on the lees for additional texture and flavour.
Compared to many Italian whites, especially though of the 1990s, this is a well made wine which can still do the main job of accompanying seafood, but has enough about it to be enjoyed on its own. If you’re having smoked salmon anytime soon (you know the season to which I’m referring) then this would be a perfect partner!
Le Caniette ‘Io Sono Gaia Non Sono Lucrezia’ Pecorino, Offida DOCG 2012 (€29.95, Honest 2 Goodness)
Recognisably the same grape, but in a different style, this Pecorino is unlike any of the others I’ve tasted. It’s oaked! This might seems a strange thing to do to a fresh zippy grape, but then this approach has been followed for Sauvignon Blanc (Cloudy Bay Te Koko, Torres Fransola) and Godello (Rafael Palacios As Sortes) among others.
Whereas the Umani Ronchi above is an IGT, this is a fully classified DOCG. Ripe grapes are hand-picked and collected in small boxes for minimal bruising under their own weight. The gentle treatment treatment continues in the winery, followed by 12 to 14 months ageing in barriques, plus 4 months bâtonnage.
This wine first came to my attention at an Honest 2 Goodness tasting attended by a large contingent from DNS Wine Club – it was the standout bottle from the whole tasting in my view. Further reflection with a full bottle reinforced this – the oak is in no way dominant, and adds another dimension to the flavour profile rather than riding roughshod over the tangy citrus fruit. This DOCG wine’s alcohol is a couple of notches higher than the IGT at 13.5% which matches the texture and mouthfeel well.
So how do the wines compare given their disparity in price? Both are great wines, and great value for money. For me it just depends on my mood, and what / who I’m drinking the wine with, which would determine which of them I popped open on any particular day.
Further reading: Make Mine a Double Index