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Cheese Tortellini with Spicy Italian Sausage Soup, similar to the included recipe.
The saying, “March comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb” was almost true until today—a chilly rainy day in the northeast that had me reaching into the freezer for some comfort soup.
Hearty soups are among my favorite pairings with white wines—from a dry Riesling to a round French blend. A long-time favorite recipe in my rotation was developed to pair with dry Rieslings from Alsace, which, with sausage as a main ingredient, was a fine match. Over the years, I’ve tinkered a bit, added cruciferous greens (kale or broccoli rabe) for texture, and brought in other white partners such a Pinot Blanc or Petit Manseng. Here are the bottles I enjoyed this winter and into this weekend with the soup, and the recipe is below. I’m ready for lamb-like weather soon, but will also miss my cozy winter soup and white pairings.
Cormorant Chardonnay Zabala Vineyard 2021, Arroyo Secco, Monterey County. This lighter interpretation of Californian Chardonnay lets the pure apple and pear fruits shine through. Low intervention, low manipulation and a light hand of the winemaker.
Villa Huesgen Pinot Blanc 2022, Mosel. The motto is “made by happy people” and that transmits to this pleasurable wine. Round, medium bodied with cooked lemon / compote, this is an easy-going wine that doesn’t compete with the toothsome ingredients of this soup.
Villa Huesgen Blue Slate Riesling 2022, Mosel. Still made by happy people ^^, this comes in an elegant blue bottle and shows good Riesling markers of petrol and lemon curd. This is dry, warm and round—not an ultra-racy version, but tasty, pleasant and an excellent gateway into Riesling for those not certain how to navigate the sometimes-tricky waters.
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