Porchetta

Porchetta

Assuming rolled pork belly roasted with fennel, garlic and rosemary until the skin crackles, sliced warm or in a roll.

Porchetta is rich pork fat and crackling scented with fennel, garlic and rosemary. It wants fresh acidity to cut the fat and a savoury, herbal note to meet the seasoning, with only moderate tannin, since the meat is sweet and tender. Heavy, oaky reds smother the herbs.

Pairs Perfectly. Sangiovese, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy. Sour cherry, dried herbs and bright acidity with firm but fine tannin, which cuts the pork fat and meets rosemary and fennel. It is widely available and priced for any night of the week.

Pairs Well. Verdicchio, Marche, Italy. Lemon, green almond and a faint bitter finish, a central Italian white fresh enough for crackling.

Pairs Well. Cru Beaujolais, Morgon, France. Dark cherry and a savoury, earthy depth with high acidity and soft tannin, good with rich pork.

Worth Seeking Out

An orange wine, preferably a skin contact Ribolla Gialla from Friuli, Italy, for example a Dario Princic or a Foradori. Its light tannin and dried herb notes suit fatty pork and fennel.

Avoid

Heavy, oaky, high alcohol reds. Oak and alcohol flatten the herbs and make the fat feel heavier.

Failing That

A Rioja Crianza, Spain.

If All Else Fails

Pinot Noir, Central Otago.

Want to be able to craft answers like this? The Vinealto Wine Coach takes you from the basics to advanced.