Besoain, Central Valley, Chilean wine, Grape Varieties, Sauvignon Blanc, white wines, Wine and Dine, Wine and Food, Wines from Chile, Wines from Chile
Pasta al Limone with Shrimp
Aug
Summer Comes from the Pan
There are dishes you don’t plan. You have shrimp, you have lemons, you have pasta—and then something happens in the pan that can’t be described, only tasted: butter, lemon juice, and a splash of pasta water emulsify into a silky, glossy sauce that wraps around every strand of spaghetti like a promise. The 2022 Los Morros Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Central Valley—crafted by winemaker Miguel Besoain in the Andean hills south of Santiago—brings exactly what this dish calls for: passion fruit and ginger where the dish has lemon; white pepper where the shrimp offer sweetness. A mineral, juicy, and lively acidity that cuts through the butter and captures the essence of summer in the glass.
Ideal wine pairing: Besoain “Los Morros” Sauvignon Blanc (Central Valley, Chile)
“Los Morros” means “the hills” in Spanish—and that’s exactly what it is: a wine from the rolling vineyard hills that stretch along Miguel Besoain’s childhood home in the Maipo Valley and then run southward through the Central Valley to the foothills of the Andes near Molina. Besoain learned in European wine regions how to make wines that are lively and true to their varietal character without being overpowering. The Sauvignon Blanc is his most direct expression of this philosophy: no oak barrels, no malolactic fermentation that would soften the fruit. Instead: fermentation at a controlled cool temperature of 15 °C in stainless steel, followed by three months on the fine lees to develop texture and depth. The result is a white wine as clear as mountain water—yet anything but one-dimensional.
In the glass, it is a pale straw yellow with green highlights. The nose is expressive and inviting: lychee, peach, and white pepper come through immediately. On the palate, passion fruit and ginger, a mineral structure reminiscent of the limestone cliffs of the Andean soils, and a juicy, refreshing acidity that leaves the mouth feeling clean. 12.5% alcohol, semi-dry with 5.0 g/l residual sugar, which is not noticeable due to the acidity (5.9 g/l). Serve well-chilled at 8–10 °C.
The pairing with the dish works on three levels: The wine’s acidity mirrors the lemon-based flavor profile of the pasta without duplicating it. The white pepper in the bouquet complements the sweetness of the shrimp. And the mineral structure anchors the whole dish—both the dish and the wine remain distinct, with neither dominating the other.
The recipe:
Pasta al Limone with Shrimp
Equipment
- 1 Großer Topf für die Pasta
- 1 Große Pfanne (Edelstahl oder beschichtet)
- 1 Reibe für Zitronenschale und Parmesan
- 1 Zange oder Kochzange
Ingredients
FOR THE PASTA:
- 250 g Spaghetti or Linguine
- Coarse sea salt for the pasta water
FOR THE LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE:
- 40 g Butter cold, diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- Juice and zest from 1 untreated organic lemon
- 80 ml Pasta water starchy – skim off before draining
- 50 g Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- sea salt freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SHRIMP:
- 250 g Shrimp raw, peeled, size 16/20
- 1 EL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- sea salt white pepper
- juice of half a lemon for deglazing
FOR SERVING:
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Lemon zest freshly grated
- Fresh parsley leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
COOKING PASTA:
- Bring the salt water to a boil—it should “taste like the ocean.”
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions.
- Before draining the pasta, skim off 80–100 ml of the pasta water and set it aside.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside for a moment.
SAUTÉING SHRIMP:
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over high heat.
- Add the crushed garlic clove and cook for 30 seconds to release the aroma.
- Arrange the shrimp in a single layer—don’t put too many in at once; they should fry, not steam.
- Cook for 90 seconds per side, until they are pinkish-orange and lightly browned.
- Deglaze with lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from the pan and keep warm.
LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE & EMULSION:
- Reduce the heat to medium in the same pan.
- Sauté the garlic in it for 1 minute until translucent.
- Add cold butter to the pan and let it melt.
- Add the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Pour in the pasta water and stir vigorously—the starch from the pasta water will bind the butter and lemon into a silky sauce.
- Stir in the Parmesan and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the pasta directly to the sauce and toss it with tongs—the sauce should completely coat the spaghetti.
SERVE:
- Use tongs to twist the pasta into a nest shape and place it on preheated plates.
- Place the shrimp on top.
- Grate some fresh Parmesan and lemon zest over it.
- Finish with parsley leaves and a dash of olive oil.
- Finish with freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve the Los Morros Sauvignon Blanc well chilled at 8–10 °C.
SIDE DISHES:
- Mixed leaf salad with lemon vinaigrette.
- Crispy baguette for mopping up the sauce.
- Grilled zucchini slices with olive oil and fleur de sel.
Nutrition
