Celebrating Spring with Vignole + 2020 Barberani Castagnolo Orvieto Classico Superiore #ItalianFWT #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Consorzio Vino Orvieto.

Complimentary wine was provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.

However, all opinions expressed here are my own.

This month the Italian Food Wine Travel group is looking at the wines of Orvieto. Jen of Vino Travels is hosting. If you are reading this early enough, feel free to jump in to our live chat on Twitter on Saturday, May 7th at 8am Pacific. Follow the hashtag #ItalianFWT and be sure to add that to anything you tweet so we can see it. Here are the articles that the writers are sharing...

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares Umbrian Red Wine Spaghetti and a Book Review.
• Liz at What‘s In That Bottle wonders Why Aren’t we all Drinking more Orvieto?
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles writes about Orvieto - the multifaceted white wine of Umbria.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest focuses on Appreciating an Ancient Italian Wine Made For Today’s Palate.
• Camilla at The Culinary Adventures of Camilla is Celebrating Spring with Vignole + 2020 Barberani Castagnolo Orvieto Classico Superiore.
• Lisa at The Wine Chef posts Umbria’s Famous White Wine, Paired With Spiced Pork Tenderloin.
• Nicole at The Somm's Table will be featuring “Easy Springtime Dinners with Orvieto."
• Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine Pairings uncovers Orvieto White Wines - Hidden Treasures From Umbria.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares White wines from the heart of Central Italy.
• Susannah at Avvinare will be Getting reacquainted with an old friend: Orvieto Wines.
• Rupal at Syrah Queen shares The Soulful and Unique Wines of Orvieto.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator...Gwendolyn Alley aims to Discover the Green Heart of Italy: Orvieto DOC in Umbria Paired with Chicken Cacciatore.
• Terri at Our Good Life pairs Slow Cooker Short Ribs and Elicius Orvietano Rosso: A Match Made in the Heavenly Stars.
• Jen at Vino Travels highlights Orvieto, Italy’s Classic White Wine.

Grazie Mille!

Many thanks to the Consorzio Vino Orvieto* for sponsoring this month's event and sending samples to members of the group. I received four bottles along with a book about the region. I am looking forward to exploring and learning more.

If you are unfamiliar, as I was, Orvieto is both a white wine - made primarily from a blend of the Trebbiano and Grechetto grapes - from the areas of Umbria and Lazio. And it is also the wine region in which these wines are produced.

The wine-making history of the region goes back to the Medieval Ages. Then, the wine was a sweet, dessert libation. Flash forward to now, it is usually a small-batch blend of white wine grapes that are primarily Trebbiano and Grechetto, but can also include Drupeggio, Malvasia, Canaiolo Bianco, and Verdello blended in. Grechetto lend a fruitiness and weight to the blend. Blending policy in the Orvieto DOC - which is exclusively for white wine -  now allows for the addition of other grape varieties such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc; additionally there is a Rosso Orvietano that uses a blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Nero, Dolcetto, Merlot, and others. 

I did receive a bottle of rosso in my shipment. I can't wait to experiment with that. But, for this post, I opted to feature...

2020 Barberani Castagnolo Orvieto Classico Superiore

Made by Niccolò Barberani, this is vegan, organic, and a modern take on the Orvieto Classico tradition. Comprised of a traditional grapes, it's 70% Grechetto and 30% Trebbiano Procanico.

The wine pours a vibrant yellow straw color. On the nose, the bouquet has layers of green apple, lemon blossom, and wet granite. On the palate, it has a crisp and playful energy. I jotted down: herbaceous, silky, clean, mineral. 'The embodiment of Spring' also made it into my tasting notes. So, I decided to make a beautiful Italian Spring stew.

Vignole

I have been making a version of this without ever knowing it had a name. Vignole apparently originated in Rome, and a vegetable stew that showcases the best of the season including artichokes, fava beans, Spring greens, and peas. I went to the market and picked up green garlic, fennel, rainbow chard, asparagus, purple and golden sugar snap peas, herbs, and these curly, gorgeous cruciferous curls called Spigarello Broccoli. 

These definitely would have been something I picked up in the markets in Rome! Funky and full of nutrition...just what I like. This stew is so simple. Feel free to adjust and substitute to the ingredients that you have on-hand.

• 1/4 cup green garlic, trimmed and minced
• 2 cups shaved fennel
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil (I used a smoked olive oil for added flavor)
• 2 cups rainbow chard, chiffonaded
• 2 cups Spigarello broccoli (substitute Lacinto kale if you can't find Spigarello)
• 4 cups veggie or chicken stock
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 2 cups asparagus cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 cups quartered artichoke hearts (canned or jarred works well)
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped fennel fronds
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• 2 teaspoons capers

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottom pot. Add in the green garlic and cook until fragrant - just a minute or two. Stir in the fennel and cook until softened, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and Spigarello ribbons and toss to coat with the oil. When glossy, pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Fold in the peas, asparagus, and artichoke hearts. Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes. Mix the herbs together. Set aside 2 teaspoons of mixed herbs and fold the rest into the stew.

To serve, ladle stew into individual serving bowls. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of capers on the top. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of herbs over the stew and serve immediately.

The wine and the stew were a perfect celebration of Spring! I can't wait to delve deeper into the wines of Orvieto.

Find the Consorzio Vino Orvieto on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Twitter

*Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of wine samples for recipe development and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.