Autumn in the Euganean Hills: Mushroom Risotto and Roverello

The morning air this season is becoming crisper, while the sun still provides us with a pleasant warmth throughout the day. The work in the cellar following the harvest continues at a more relaxed pace, leaving us some time to enjoy a few rejuvenating walks.

We walk along the paths of Monte Venda, surrounded by the subdued cawing of crows in flight and the scent of moss that intertwines with the fragrant smell of damp leaves. Golden rays filter through the branches, drawing light and shadow across the volcanic rocks that emerge from the undergrowth. Every step reveals a small universe of life: a carpet of leaves crunches under our shoes, mushroom spores dance in the breeze, the prickly burrs of freshly gathered chestnuts alternate with the stones that surface from the ground.

In the almost sacred silence of this valley, where the sense of smell is intoxicated by the scents of the woods, the call to a typically autumn dish becomes irresistible: risotto with chanterelles, honey mushrooms (chiodini), and porcini. The kitchen comes alive and a delicious aroma spreads. The mince of garlic and shallot sizzles in the extra-virgin olive oil, followed by the crackle of mushrooms just tossed into the pan.

Here is the recipe we followed, step by step, to enhance the autumn flavour of our woods.

Recipe: Risotto with Euganean Hills Mushrooms

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 320 g of Carnaroli rice
• 300 g of mixed mushrooms (porcini, chiodini, chanterelles)
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 1 litre of hot vegetable broth
• 100 ml of white wine
• 50 g of butter
• 60 g of Taleggio or Robiola cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) q.s.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil with the shallot and garlic, allowing them to brown without burning.
2. Add the cleaned and sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat until they release their water.
3. In a separate pot, toast the rice dry for one minute, then deglaze with the Roverello, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
4. Continue cooking by adding the broth a ladleful at a time, stirring carefully.
5. Halfway through cooking, add the mushrooms and continue adding broth until the desired creamy consistency is reached.
6. Off the heat, finish the mantecatura (creaming) with cold butter and cheese.

As we taste the still-steaming risotto, we pour our Bianco Roverello 2019 into the glasses, having just arrived on our shelves with the vintage change. We chose this wine as our favourite pairing: the richness of the creaming, the slight bitter tendency of the mushrooms, and the overall savouriness of the dish led us to desire a wine with excellent body, freshness, but above all, softness and roundness, given its evolution in the bottle. Notes of yellow-fleshed fruit and candied citrus gently emerge, while a slight hint of fresh almond and balsamicity develops during the tasting.

The Bianco Roverello is a kind of guarantee for us: we have been producing it for a long time, since the 1980s. We started cultivating Chardonnay to nod to the great wines of Burgundy and the Côte d'Or, a terroir that has always been a benchmark for us to achieve a sinuous product, endowed with great personality and drinkability. It grows on lean soils: here, the rhyolitic rock, under the tenacity of oak roots, disintegrates into sand, gravel, and clay. If, at the beginning, it was a wine born as a challenge, it is now part of the Selezioni Zanovello line and has a beautiful story to tell.

The warmth of the stove envelops the room, while the crackle of the fire accompanies our toasts. Every sip and every taste blend into a sensory experience that tells the story of our land, the passing of the seasons, the love for this valley, and for simple but authentic cuisine. At the end of the evening, we remain seated with our glasses in hand, immersed in the echo of the burning wood and the golden reflections of the wine. This pairing is not just a recipe: it is an emotional journey that we hope to share with you, friends of Ca’ Lustra.

Come and visit us: every glass here tells a story.