Malvasia

Pecorino cheese, with its distinct salty and tangy profile, demands beverages that can balance its intensity while complementing its rich sheep's milk character. The acidity in Italian wines like Sangiovese cuts through the cheese's fattiness, while the fruit-forward notes harmonize with Pecorino's nutty complexity. Effervescent beers like Saison provide palate-cleansing carbonation against the cheese's density.

From the heel of Italy's boot comes this characterful red that perfectly captures Puglia's rustic charm and generous spirit. Copertino Riserva is primarily made from Negroamaro (literally 'black bitter'), a grape that thrives in Puglia's intense heat and delivers wines with remarkable depth and character at prices that seem almost too good to be true. The 'Riserva' designation means this wine has been aged longer than standard bottlings, allowing those initially robust tannins to soften and develop more complex secondary flavors. What's impressive is how this cooperative winery – where local growers pool their resources – consistently produces such high-quality wine at such reasonable prices. This isn't a polished international-style red trying to impress critics; it's an authentic regional wine that pairs perfectly with food and offers a genuine taste of southern Italian wine tradition. Perfect for those nights when you want something with a bit of age and complexity without venturing into special occasion pricing territory.