I hear the question all the time from our guests,"What wine should I serve with {fill in the blank }? While I always try to offer some suggestions, I also tell anxious shoppers not to stress. There are no set in stone rules to wine and food pairing. I'm sure there are a number of sommeliers who make their living partnering wine and food that would tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. I agree there are some classics that seem to work well all the time; Chablis with oysters, Sancerre with goat cheese, but for the most part I tell people to drink what they enjoy. If you like chardonnay with your steak or cabernet with your mahi-mahi, go for it. Don't be intimidated into purchasing a wine you won't enjoy yourself.

OK now that I've debunked the whole wine and food pairing profession I can also attest to the fact that there are times when dining out that a wine and food go so well together that it inspires me to try to replicate the experience at home. One of the prerequisites of attempting to prepare a recipe at home is that it must be fairly simple. I enjoy cooking but would never consider myself a chef.

This past April I had dinner at Antico Caffe Dante in Verona. Our host, Fernando Cattani ordered Risotto all'Amarone along with a bottle of 2005 Tommasi Amarone. It was one of the most memorable dishes I had on the trip.

3/4 cup amarone
5 cups beef stock
4 tbsp. beef marrow (from 2–3 marrowbones)
4 tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups vialone nano or other Italian risotto rice
3 oz. grana padano or parmigiano-reggiano, grated
Salt
Leaves from 3 sprigs parsley, finely chopped

1. Bring wine and stock to a simmer in two separate pots, then keep both warm over low heat.

2. Put marrow, 2 tbsp. of the butter, and onions into a heavy medium pot over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until onions are soft, 8–10 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring to coat with the butter and fat, for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is almost completely absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add a ladleful of stock at a time, stirring constantly; wait until almost all of the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking and adding stock (you may have some stock left over) until rice is tender but firm to the bite, about 25 minutes.

3.Remove pot from heat and vigorously stir in remaining butter and the cheese. Season to taste with salt. Divide evenly between 4 plates and garnish with parsley.

You can substitute olive oil for the bone marrow if you choose. I also have a hard time pouring 3/4 of a cup of Amarone at $50 plus per bottle  into a recipe. Try using a wine labeled "ripasso" in place of the Amarone.

As for the wine itself there a a number of good quality Amaroni in our stores. Look for Allegrini, Bertani, Castellane, Masi, Tommasi, Zenato and Zonin.

Paul Quaglini

WS SE Florida