I’m currently taking an Italian Wine Specialist course and one of the most exciting parts is learning about brand new wines I’ve never heard of or tried before! Recently, I bought 3 bottles after class and tested all of them with a dinner of roast chicken, creamy risotto, and salad. They’re all from the north eastern side of Italy.

Soave Classico DOC: A light, crisp white wine, Soave has great minerality for herbs on roast chicken. In fact, the wine got a boost of flavor when paired with the chicken.

Valtellina Superiore DOCG: Coming from a high altitude region, the high acidity of Valtellina (made with Nebbiolo grapes) is a bit too much for chicken, but it does cut through the risotto like a knife through butter, without overpowering the flavors.

Alto Adige Lagrein DOC: This wine (a brand new one for me!) was a delicious discovery, with soft, plummy notes that developed after some breathing time. It’s nice with the chicken, but would be better with an even richer dish.