Grapes grown in Volcanic Soil produce a HOT wine!!! #ItalianFWT

 We are celebrating Volcanic Wines this month with our Italian Food Wine Travel group.  I took a virtual trip and learned that the wines available were numerous.  This invitation was extended by Jennifer of Vino Travels.  You can learn more at Jennifer's Preview Post.

I found a bottle of Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Vigna Cinque Querce 2007 at Wine.com.  I paid $46 for this wine which is more than I would normally spend on a bottle for a weeknight meal but it got great reviews and I couldn't resist.

Before I talk to you about this wine and the pairings I did, let's see what wines the others found and what they thought......

• Camilla at the Culinary Adventures with Camilla features A Single-Varietal Carricante, an Etna Exclusive, & Lapsang Souchong-Braised Duck Legs.
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm declares Grapes Grown in Volcanic Soil Produce a HOT Wine!!!
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator has you Meet Mt Etna’s Volcanic Wines: Sicily’s Tenuta Monte Gorna and Tenuta di Fessina with Pairings.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest writes about Volcanic Wine in the Veneto.
• Terri at Our Good Life shares Ashes to Ashes: Volcanic Wine and Sicilian Lentil Soup.
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles offers Mount Etna – The Awesome Power of Active Volcanos, and Yes, Red Wine with Fish.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass discusses the wines of Benanti – Capturing the Soul of Mount Etna Wine.
• Susannah at Avvinare is Exploring the Colli Berici in the Veneto.
• Cindy at Grape Experiences shares Personality, Elegance, Value: Tenuta Tascante Ghiaia Nera 2017 from Etna DOC.
• Nicole at Somm's Table is Exploring Etna with Tenuta di Fessina
• Jen, our host, at Vino Travels posts Fried Eggplant Topped with Fresh Tomatoes and Ricotta Paired with I Custodi Etna Rosso.

We will all be gathering together for Twitter Chat tomorrow, Saturday, 10/3, to talk about our findings.  Please join in the fun.  You can find us between 11 am and Noon by following #ItalianFWT.

I'm so happy that I followed my instincts and purchased this wine.  Sometimes you just need a weeknight celebration....just because.  And we have so much for which to celebrate and be thankful.

Taurasi is located on a plateau so erosion has not depleted the volcanic soil.  This soil creates wines that are deep and complex.  They have a lot of minerality.  In this wine that minerality produced a very bold, dark and complex wine.  It is fruity yet still very dry and silky smooth.

It was suggested that we pair this wine with aged cheese.  I put out a trio of Italian Cheeses and Frank opened the wine.  The Teen was at work and dinner was planned for 7pm.  As we were taking photos, the Teen phoned and said she had gotten out early and was STARVING!!

So a quick change of plans.  Instead of Frank and I, relaxing with our cheese and wine, we snacked and sipped as we put together some pizzas for dinner.

When the Teen got home we enjoyed a second glass with our Caramelized Onion and Wild Mushroom Pizza.  I will be sharing that recipe with you on Sunday so stay tuned.

The wine did pair nicely with the cheeses and I was pleasantly surprised that it paired well with the pizza as well.  I wasn't sure it would because the pizza has a herb cheese sauce and the caramelized onions give it a touch of sweetness but the smoothness and spiciness of the wine played well with the flavors.

Don't forget to join us for Twitter Chat tomorrow, Saturday, 10/3, at 11 am ET.  Looking forward to visiting with you.