Pizza with pecorino cheese

Ingredients

tomato puree

1finely chopped onion

6 cherry tomatoes, washed and cut into 2

125 g grated pecorino Romano cheese

fresh basil

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the tomato puree on the dough with the back of a spoon, making concentric circles, up to 1 cm from the edge of the dough. Then place the garnish on the dough: the cherry tomatoes and the onion. Bake the pizza in the bottom of the oven for 8 minutes, then move it to the middle of the oven for another 7 minutes. After taking it out of the oven, sprinkle the hot pizza with the pecorino Romano cheese and fresh basil leaves. To be enjoyed immediately!

Wine experts think this Italian Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine would be a match made in heaven with this dish.

Fratelli Barba Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Yang 2020

Fratelli Barba is originally an old, winegrowing family based in Abruzzo though with ancestral roots from Naples. For many years, they sold their grapes but in the 1950s, their philosophy changed and they decided to produce their own wines. Today, they farm over 27 hectares of vines and produce 9 different wines from 4 different indigenous varieties and one delicious olive oil. We love their wines' delicious upfront fruit appeal. Their 'Yang' Montepulciano d'Abruzzo comes from vineyards farmed organically being only treated with copper and sulfur. Fermented in stainless steel, it is reminiscent of their entry-level Montepulciano but with more density, power and expression.

Tasting notes

Very nice. Round and full well balanced with lots of earthy tones and oaky. Green bananas, blackberries and blueberries. Minerals, spices and a splash of sea salt. Very succulent!

Interesting Facts

The mountainous region of Abruzzo is considered one of the greenest parts of Italy, with a number of national parks and forested areas. Montepulciano grapes are used to make a well-known rosé wine called Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo can contain up to 15% Sangiovese grapes.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of the quintessential wines of Italy, enjoyed throughout the country and the world, and made in several styles. Just don’t confuse it with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano! That’s a completely different wine made of Sangiovese grapes from the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany.

The beautiful region of Abruzzo is flanked by the turquoise Adriatic Sea and the foothills of the Apennine Mountains. This area’s green and rugged interior is an established spot for cultivating Montepulciano, a native Italian grape and the second most-planted grape in the country.

Prolific production in the past meant that these wines were often used in bulk, acting as a blending partner for other wines within Italy and even other countries, like Germany. This practice has been tempered in recent years, and now winemakers look to keep yields smaller as they focus on coaxing the best out of the grapes.

There are two primary styles for this wine. One is an easy-drinking, youthful, and fresh style. These wines have spent most of their time in steel tanks, which keeps the bold plum, blackberry, and herb flavors (like thyme) up front. The other is a richer, oaked style, where you can expect more spicy, chocolatey, smoky notes in the glass.

The wine’s high acidity means it can stand up to a naturally acidic tomato sauce without falling flat. Montepulciano’s more savory, herbaceous qualities are echoed in the dried oregano you’ll find on top of a pizza. And, Montepulciano’s acidity and tannins - its structure - are very well suited to richer foods. Cured meats and cheese are no problem for this wine: it’ll take them in its stride very nicely, and even ‘cut through’ those richer textures.

5 facts on Montepulciano:

Montepulciano’s most iconic region is Abruzzo on the east coast of Italy. Wines made from the Montepulciano grape - such as the Abuzzo number below - are not to be confused with “Vino di Nobile Montepulciano” - that “Montepulciano” is a town in Tuscany, not a grape, and its wines are made from Sangiovese! Confusing.

Montepulciano is Italy’s second most widely planted grape after Sangiovese (which you may know better by its key regional name, Chianti).

As is classic of most Italian reds, the grape has medium-high acidity and medium-high tannins; that is to say, it has great structure and is therefore very “food-friendly”.

Montepulciano loves fatty food; tannins are grippy and have a drying effect that helps ‘strip’ lingering fat from the mouth and set you up for another mouthful and sip. Simultaneously, the fat in food helps to soften (almost lubricate!) the tannins. Its perfect partner is pecorino.