Which wine appellation to pair with the local bottarga?

For Orbetello bottarga, choose a Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario DOC : it's the most obvious local pairing. This dry white pairs well with the salty and iodized character of the bottarga without overpowering it. Serve it cool, around 8 à 10 °C, rather than chilled, to preserve its aromas. The appellation is produced in the south of the province of Grosseto, notably around Orbetello and Monte Argentario.

If you eat the bottarga in thin slices with a drizzle of oil and toasted bread, stick with this Ansonica. For pasta where it is grated in quantity, a dry and lively white also works; you can then ask for a Vermentino from Maremma Toscana DOC if the Ansonica is not offered. Above all, avoid an oaky or overly powerful white: it risks overpowering the pronounced taste of the bottarga. At the table, the name to ask for first is therefore indeed Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario DOC.