Earthy medium-bodied red wines such as Pinot Noir pair best with Mushroom Risotto due to their rustic and complementary flavours.
Pinot Noir is a lighter-bodied red wine that typically has a lower tannin content than other red wines. This makes it a great match for the earthy, umami flavours of mushroom risotto, which can be overwhelmed by a more robust wine. The silky fruit and earthy flavours of Pinot Noir serve up a refreshing balance against the savoury flavours of mushroom risotto, creating a harmonious pairing.
Additionally, Pinot Noir has a refreshing acidity that helps cut through the risotto’s richness and refreshes the palate between bites. Mushroom Risotto is full of butter, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt and carbohydrates which can clog up your taste buds. The velvety and rich fruit flavours, along with the acidity of Pinot Noir, rips through the creamy fats of Pinot Noir, allowing each bite of your Mushroom Risotto to taste as flavourful as the first.
Finally, the texture of Pinot Noir is also a good match for mushroom risotto. It has a silky-smooth mouthfeel and light tannins, which complement the creamy texture of the risotto.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chicken stock, or as needed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 400r – 500g portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 400r – 500g white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 medium shallots, diced (or finely chopped onions)
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
- Warm stock in a saucepan over low heat.
- Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add portobello and white mushrooms; cook and stir until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid to a bowl; set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the saucepan. Stir in shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add rice; cook and stir until rice is coated with oil and pale, golden in colour, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in wine, stirring constantly until wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup warm stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
- Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender yet firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in reserved mushrooms and their liquid, butter, chives, and Parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with one of your favourite La Vierge Pinot Noir wines.