Red wine risotto: a specialty that varies by region.

There are those who consider it a "waste," and there are those who couldn't live without it, but in either case, one must agree: it is an incredibly delicious risotto. It is red wine risotto, a highly appreciated Italian specialty that people love. It is a very regional dish; depending on the region where it is eaten, the wine used also changes. Thus, in Veneto, one encounters risotto with Amarone, while in Piedmont we have Barolo or Barbera, in Tuscany with Chianti or Montepulciano, Primitivo in Puglia, Nero D'Avola in Sicily, Cannonau from Sardinia, and so on, based on the region of origin, the red wine used will also change.

Often these wines are costly, and for some, it is a true sacrilege to use them to prepare risotto. They are wines that should only be drunk. For others, however, they represent true traditional dishes that cannot be done without.

In every Italian region, there are lower-cost wines of adequate quality for making excellent risottos. But can one achieve the same result with a regular wine as with a fine wine? No, the result will never be identical, but it will still yield a great and flavorful risotto to bring to the table.

»DISCOVER ALL THE RED WINES AT YOUR DISPOSAL «

Red Wine Risotto: The Veneto Version with Amarone

Amarone della Valpolicella is an excellence of European viticulture. It is a dry, passito red wine of great quality, with Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin produced exclusively in the Valpolicella area, in the province of Verona. Obtained from the drying of grapes and aged in barrels, this wine is quite long-lived. When used in the kitchen together with another excellent product from the Scaliger area, the Nano Vialone Veronese IGP rice, it creates a delicious risotto that is the flagship dish in some of the best restaurants in the city of Verona. This red wine risotto is often paired with radicchio, taleggio, Monte Veronese, rosemary, or sausage.

If you don't want to use a bottle of precious Amarone, a very appreciated alternative is to use a Ripasso, also known as little Amarone, or if you want to save money, go for a basic Valpolicella.

Red Wine Risotto: Let's Take a Trip to Piedmont with Barolo and Barbera

Risotto al Barolo, the prized wine of the Langhe, is a typical dish of Piedmontese tradition, easy to prepare. The important thing is to choose the base ingredient, the wine, of excellent quality. Normally, it is paired with Carnaroli rice.
Think that in traditional Piedmontese cookbooks, there have always been two risotto recipes with wine: one with "red wine," and the other with Barolo. This is because those who produce wines know that a good red wine is one thing; a good Barolo is quite another. In fact, in cooking, what you use in recipes will reflect in the dishes. Therefore, a risotto al Barolo should be made with Barolo.

A great alternative to Barolo is Barbera, another typical Piedmontese wine whose distribution mainly extends to the areas of Alessandria, Alba, Asti, and the Oltrepò Pavese. Try it with Castelmagno cheese; you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Red Wine Risotto: Wherever You Go, That's the Wine You'll Find

In short, by now you understand, red wine risotto varies depending on the territory in which you find yourself. However, what unites our risotto is the deliciousness that you will find on your plate. So far, we have highlighted the great Italian red wines, but to get a good quality red wine risotto, you can also turn to wines that require a lower expenditure.

»DISCOVER ALL THE RED WINES AT YOUR DISPOSAL «

For example, there are excellent Venetian Merlots or Tuscan wines made from Sangiovese grapes that could easily suit your needs. There is no single recipe for red wine risotto; it changes depending on where you are. Essentially, it can be said that it requires the use of a good meat broth, sautéed onions or leeks, aromatic herbs, oil, butter, and then depending on what you have in mind, you can pair it with cheese, radicchio, sausage, pancetta, scamorza, and much more.

Red Wine Risotto: What Should We Pair It With?

Pairing red wine risotto is really very simple. Often, the wine you buy to prepare your dish won't all be consumed. You might have half a bottle left. That's when the leftover wine becomes the perfect accompaniment for your risotto. Try one of the wines and risottos available at Spaghetti & Mandolino. Place your order, get comfortable, and wait for the shipment to arrive directly at your home!

Francesco Scuderi