When you think of pizza, the pairing that immediately comes to mind is with beer or an iced drink. But in the world of pizza this concept has been debunked for some time and an important evolution is underway which places research, attention to ingredients and knowledge of the territory at the center of the pizza chef's profession. And so wine has made its way among pizza lovers precisely because it strengthens and enhances the bond with the territory.
Now everything is codified in manual to direct pizza chefs and consumers to the pizza-wine pairing by the AVPN, the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, which this year celebrates 40 years of history, and which in collaboration with AIS Campania has presented the initiative during an event held in Umbria in the castle of Solfagnano, the premise of the work that will be presented in Naples, in the month of July, during the days of celebration of the Association's fortieth anniversary.
The choice of Castello di Solfagnano is motivated by the fact that with its production, it places its name first in the list of Italian wine companies that will take part in the project. During the event, the Association's board with some of its master pizza chefs met with Tommaso Luongo, President of AIS Campania and with a selected group of sector journalists for a panel on what it means to define a methodology on pizza-wine pairing adoptable worldwide.
The pizzeria of the future will increasingly resemble a restaurant with a wine list capable of satisfying an increasingly demanding clientele
“The constant evolution of pizzerias also passes through a fundamental element such as pairing – explains Antonio Pace, President of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association – The pizzeria of the future will necessarily have to look more and more like a specialized restaurant and offer a wine list in capable of satisfying an increasingly demanding clientele. Precisely for this reason we have decided to provide our affiliates, and not only that, with a tool that allows them to master this subject which certainly requires instinct but also technical knowledge".
At the center of the table, a parterre of labels proposed by Castello di Solfagnano and others selected by AIS Campania, in search of the right combination with the most popular types of pizza. From the classic to the fried, to the sweet one passing through the pizzas of the Orto, del Mare, del Bosco, del Casaro, del Salumaio, del Cuoco and del Macellaio, for a tasting journey that starts from the territory but looks beyond the border, with the aim of improving the quality of pairing in pizzerias.
“This project – states Tommaso Luongo, President of AIS Campania – was born from the desire to explain the pairing methods that every pizza chef in the AVPN circuit will be able to adopt and adapt to the flavors of their product. On this occasion we started with a proposal of territorial wines, Umbrian and Campania, to outline the first guidelines and to demonstrate how pizza, even outside of traditional tastes, can dialogue with a specific wine following the canons of pairing. The manual, in fact, acts as a professional tool to support all the pizza chefs of the Association in choosing a coherent wine pairing capable of offering the customer an experience that is as pleasant as possible.”
Extending over 60 hectares, the Castello di Solfagnano estate hosts parks, vineyards, gardens and an agricultural company that still operates with traditional natural methods aimed at enhancing the raw materials that the earth offers us. The production of wines and extra virgin olive oil is carried out with passion out of love for nature, and still follows the rhythm of the seasons.
Among the main objectives of the Solfagnano Castle there is eco-sustainability: from the production of energy through solar panels, to the supply of energy for charging electric cars, to the use of Eco materials for the suites up to the production of typical products following centuries-old methods.