Trebbiano / Ugni Blanc
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong famously sang about the ‘potato/potatoe’ debate…they failed to mention, however, the Battle of the Grapes. In Italy they have Trebbiano wines, in France they have Ugni Blanc. The catch? In Italy ‘Trebbiano’ is a name shared by a number of different grape varieties – just to make things simple for you. The most common of these is Trebbiano Toscano, which coincidently is genetically the same grape as France’s Ugni Blanc. Are you following? Because to make matters a little more ridiculous these grapes are actually used more in the production of brandy and vinegar than they are in that of wine.
What am I getting?
Trebbiano Toscanos are probably the best-known examples of the wine. They tend to be relatively light in terms of body, with a pretty high acidity. In terms of flavour they have a really citrusy vibe, so think lemon and lime with some minerality going on too. Ugni Blanc, though quite popular north of Bordeaux, is more often found in Cognac – France’s answer to Brandy. It is universally recognized as the finest spirit distilled from grapes, known for its immense fruitiness, intensity and warmth and, above all, huge complexity.
What can I drink it with?
The Trebbiano wines fits with the fairly general rule that dry whites are best paired with hard Italian cheeses (hello Parmesan), seafood pastas and relatively simple chicken dishes – throw some pesto into the equation and that would work like a dream too. However, Cognac is an ideal after dinner digestif, which would be wonderfully complimented by some dark chocolate or mature cheese.
I want it!
Let’s not go crazy…
2016 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Il Roccolo, Natale Verga, Abruzzo (dry, Italy) £9.00 per bottle
All out!
Hennessy XO NV (Cognac, France) £170 per bottle
What am I getting?
Trebbiano Toscanos are probably the best-known examples of the wine. They tend to be relatively light in terms of body, with a pretty high acidity. In terms of flavour they have a really citrusy vibe, so think lemon and lime with some minerality going on too. Ugni Blanc, though quite popular north of Bordeaux, is more often found in Cognac – France’s answer to Brandy. It is universally recognized as the finest spirit distilled from grapes, known for its immense fruitiness, intensity and warmth and, above all, huge complexity.
What can I drink it with?
The Trebbiano wines fits with the fairly general rule that dry whites are best paired with hard Italian cheeses (hello Parmesan), seafood pastas and relatively simple chicken dishes – throw some pesto into the equation and that would work like a dream too. However, Cognac is an ideal after dinner digestif, which would be wonderfully complimented by some dark chocolate or mature cheese.
I want it!
Let’s not go crazy…
2016 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Il Roccolo, Natale Verga, Abruzzo (dry, Italy) £9.00 per bottle
All out!
Hennessy XO NV (Cognac, France) £170 per bottle
