One Part Pesto Tortellini, One Part Barbera.

Driving though Friday night traffic in Los Angeles with a growling stomach is no fun. That was me on Friday, crawling back home after a long week. My brain was fried, and trying to think about what to do for dinner was not gonna happen. Then the cell phone rang and I heard my wife’s voice in my ear: “I was thinking of ordering some Italian food, do you want to pick it up?” “YESSS!!!!!”

And just like that, her angelic voice altered the course of the evening. The lanes of traffic parted, and I could picture the neon sign of Charlie’s Trio, our local mom & pop Italian joint, lighting up the night sky, a beacon guiding me in to safe harbor. Upon my arrival, a warm bag was handed off to me; “do you want some extra Parmesan?” “You bet…”

I had the spinach cheese tortellini with pesto, and it was just what the doctor ordered; good pesto is like the sauce of the Gods as far as I’m concerned. But what wine to drink with this heaven-sent plate o’ pasta?

I had a bottle of 2006 Agostino Pavia Barbera d’Asti Bricco Blina sitting in my wine fridge, and I remember when I bought it, the lovely woman at the wine store said: “This wine goes great with food!” I suppose that’s a general rule when it comes to Italian wine, so out came the corkscrew and it was ON.

This wine, from Agostino Pavia e Figli is a nice, crisp light-bodied Barbera which worked perfectly with my pesto. It’s aged in stainless steel, so no oak to speak of, crisp and clean with a bright acidity and lots of cherry and raspberry flavors in my mouth. I followed a bite of my meal with a mouthful of this tasty wine and my palate was ready for some more pesto.

A great value too at $15; pick up a bottle if you come across it, it’s a great way to end the week…