Pecorino? I thought we were talking about wine.

Now I know today's blog may raise some eyebrows when I say pecorino. You're instantly thinking of the cheese known oh so well to the Tuscany and Sardinia regions in Italy. Percorino Romano and Pecorino Toscana are cheeses made up of sheep's milk. I have fond memories of visiting a local deli in the town of Pienza in Tuscany and buying a small block of cheese to nimble on between vineyards along with a fresh pecorino and prosciutto sandwich enjoyed on the wall on the outskirt of the city center viewing the Tuscan countryside. It's definitely one of my favorite cheeses produced in Italy. When you have the opportunity to buy it from the source fresh it's oh so good! Although today I'm not talking food, I'm talking wine. Pecorino produces white wine native to the regions of Abruzzo and Marche, but is also found in Umbria and Lazio.

Not a bad view while enjoying lunch ~ Pienza

Last week I sampled the 2013 Valori Pecorino Bianco DOC at the Masciarelli grand portfolio tasting that I spoke about the other day. Valori is one of the brands that fall under the Masciarelli Wine Company's portfolio. The owner of the Azienda Agricola Valori winery, Luigi Valori, has been producing wines in the Abruzzo region at his estate since 1996. His vineyard is located in the northern province of Abruzzo, Teramo, which is situated on the hills of Sant'Omero and Controguerra. His vineyards consist of about 64 acres (26 hectacres) of vines that are 40+ years old. With the vicinity to the sea and the Gran Sasso mountains, along with vineyards about 160-300 meters above sea level with exposure to the south are the influences that characterize the wines produced at the Valori winery. 

Luigi Valori

The 2013 Valori Pecorino Bianco on the nose providing a lot of citrus and minerality that carried through to the palate. It had mouthwatering, zesty acidity with a nice crispness to the wine. Dare I say this wine goes well with Pecorino cheese ; ) I recommend seeking out both the pecorino cheese and pecorino wine on your next visit to your local wine shop and tell me what you think.

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