A not too complex first course, borrowed from Piedmontese gastronomy risotto al Barolo avails itself of the complicity of a wine well known all over the world. Made in Italy excellence, this intense red elixir, with a "full" color and full-bodied flavor, is perfect in combination with simple preparations that enhance the natural aromatic notes and to which it gives, in turn, a particular accent. A real gourmet recipe.
If we want to give the right hype to this dish we need to mention a great character: the revolutionary statesman Camillo Benso Count of Cavour, to which Piedmontese rice and Barolo wine they owe in large part to their fame. In the period in which he was minister of agriculture Cavour had the canal dug that later took his name, to regulate the irrigation of rice fields in the Vercelli and Novara areas and to introduce cutting-edge cultivation methods to his father's estate in Levi, near Vercelli, thus giving a great boost to rice production. But the count is famous above all for his decisive contribution to Piedmontese winemaking and in particular to the production of the great Barolo. An intense, elegant red, even Unesco heritage. In order to obtain a red wine worthy of rivaling the most famous French wines, in 1836 he summoned General Pier Francesco Staglieno to the castle of Grinzane, his commander when he was a garrison officer, but also a renowned winemaker. He modified the winemaking and aging systems of the Nebbiolo wine and with the collaboration of the French enologist Louis Oudard he suggested new techniques, guiding the count and the marquise Giulia Falletti di Barolo towards the production of the great Barolo. Thus contributing to the success of the "wine crusade", as Cavour himself defined it.
Two excellences in one dish
Having said this, one wonders: was it Cavour himself, notoriously a lover of good food (his famous phrase "… catches the table more friends than the mind") who invented the recipe for risotto al Barolo? Not so sure. But whoever first espoused the creamy texture of a Carnaroli or a Vialone with the rich flavor and intense aroma of this extraordinary wine, it has contributed to giving an unrepeatable dish to the already rich gallery of Piedmontese specialties. The recipe is told in a few words: the sauté where the marrow fat slowly melts, a first splash of wine – that wine – then the drop of the rice which, browning, begins to soak up its aromas, therefore still wine, the indispensable blend to evaporate the excessive alcohol content and away with the small additions of boiling broth. The flame must be extinguished when the risotto, of an intense pink color, still soft and on the wave, is ready for the final creaming with butter and Parmesan
Barolo and its curiosities
Barolo is a wine that is obtained from fermentation of Nebbiolo and takes its name from Falletti family, Marquesses of Barolo who first started the production of this wine. Barolo has obtained the certification of controlled and guaranteed origin. In fact, to obtain this precious nectar it is necessary to proceed to an aging of at least three years in oak or chestnut barrels.
This wine has color intense red and the nose is intense and persistent with aromas of violets, vanilla and spices. Sommeliers pair this wine with red meats, braised meats, game and aged cheeses, even if it is considered an excellent meditation wine.
