The cured meats starter consists of regional specialities made mainly from pork, but there are some exceptions. From the flavour standpoint, cured meats and sausages are different depending on the type of meat used, their salting and seasoning and the local traditions; so, there is not just one choice for wine pairing. Wines recommended with so-called “sweet” hams are fresh, savoury whites.

Premium products such as Culatello di Zibello can also be paired with great classic method spumante. With saltier hams, such as those from Tuscany and Umbria, we suggest a smoother wine pairing: a structured white, or a young, slightly tannic red wine. A young red would also be perfect with Bresaola, which is made from beef or venison. In the case of sausages, salame and mortadella, the fatness is still marked, but their aroma and succulence are also high and pair well with the degreasing effect of medium-bodied wines, i.e. fresh, savoury wines. Sparkling wines and spumante would also be a good choice to accompany many of these products.