Orzo and grains, flavouring profile

Orzo and grains, flavouring profile

Orzo, farro, freekeh and bulgur taste of little on their own, so the wine follows the dressing: usually lemon, olive oil, herbs and cheese, which call for a fresh, lightly nutty white.

The compounds that matter. Starch, which softens the sharpness of a wine and makes a thin one seem thinner. A toasted, nutty note in wholegrains such as farro, and a smoky one in freekeh, which suits a white with some texture. Lemon, herbs and salty cheese such as feta or parmesan, which set the acidity and salt the wine must answer.

What it demands of a wine. Medium body, fresh acidity and a citrus, herbal or almond register. No tannin, little or no oak. Where the grains are cooked like a risotto with parmesan and butter, a touch more body.

Seek. Lugana from the south of Lake Garda, almondy and fresh, for orzo with lemon and herbs. Robola from Cephalonia, chalky and lemony, for grain salads with feta. Treixadura from Ribeiro, floral with good texture, for farro and roasted vegetables. Pinot Grigio from northern Italy, light and neutral, for simple buttered orzo.

Avoid

Oaked, buttery whites, which feel heavy against a light grain salad. Tannic reds, which the lemon and cheese turn harsh. Strongly perfumed whites, which cover the gentle, nutty grain.

Three to reach for. Lugana, Lake Garda, Italy. Robola, Cephalonia, Greece. Pinot Grigio, northern Italy.