Focaccia, flavouring profile

Focaccia, flavouring profile

Focaccia is olive oil, salt and often rosemary, and it asks for a light, fresh white or sparkling wine rather than anything heavy.

The compounds that matter. Olive oil, soaked through the crumb, which coats the palate and wants acidity. Coarse salt on the crust, which softens a sharp wine and makes it seem fuller. Rosemary, whose pine and camphor notes suit a white with a herbal or resinous edge. Toppings such as tomato, olive or onion push each of these further.

What it demands of a wine. Fresh acidity, light to medium body and a herbal or citrus register. Oak and tannin are not needed. Bubbles work well when focaccia is served with drinks before a meal.

Seek. Arneis from Piedmont, gently floral with a faint bitter almond finish that stands up to the oil. Catarratto from Sicily, broad and savoury with a herbal edge, for focaccia topped with tomato and olive. Prosecco from the Veneto, light and fresh with drinks. Trebbiano from Abruzzo, lemony and uncomplicated.

Avoid

Heavily oaked whites, which make the oil feel greasy. Big, tannic reds, which turn bitter against salt and olive. Very aromatic whites, which fight the rosemary.

Three to reach for. Arneis, Piedmont, Italy. Catarratto, Sicily, Italy. Prosecco, Veneto, Italy.