Almond Sauce

White · Medium · Dry

The most-planted white grape and the most chameleon-like. Crisp and steely from Chablis; rich, oaky, and tropical from California. Read the label, then match the style to the dish.

Works with Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce · Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce +2 more Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce · Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce · Wood Fire Cornish Hen + Onion Sherry Sauce + Almonds · Brie With Amaretto Sauce Made With Brown Sugar And Almonds

Red · Light · Dry

Burgundy's most temperamental grape, but the rewards are real — translucent ruby with a perfumed lift of red cherry, forest floor, and clove. Silken tannins and bright acid make it the most versatile red on the table; serve cool, around 58°F.

Works with Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce · Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce +2 more Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce · Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce · Wood Fire Cornish Hen + Onion Sherry Sauce + Almonds · Brie With Amaretto Sauce Made With Brown Sugar And Almonds

Rosé · Light · Dry

Provence's gift to summer — dry, pale, faintly strawberry-and-citrus, with low alcohol and crisp acid. Made to drink cold, with food, in the shade.

Works with Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce · Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce +1 more Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce · Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce · Wood Fire Cornish Hen + Onion Sherry Sauce + Almonds

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Spain's traditional-method sparkling, made in Catalunya. Crisper and chalkier than Prosecco; remarkable value next to Champagne. Pair with jamón, tortilla, and grilled vegetables.

Works with Almond Sauce · Cous Cous Almonds Balsamic Honey Sauce

White · Light · Dry

Citrus, cut grass, and a wire of acid. Marlborough makes it loudest; Sancerre makes it most refined. Either way, it cuts cleanly through goat cheese, herbs, and anything with shellfish.

Works with Almond Crused Salmon With Lemon Leek Sauce · Wood Fire Cornish Hen + Onion Sherry Sauce + Almonds

Red · Full · Dry

The benchmark for full-bodied red — structured, age-worthy, unapologetic. Black currant, graphite, and tobacco lead into firm tannins that demand protein on the plate. Decant young bottles; cellar the serious ones.

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Méthode champenoise from the most chalk-rich corner of France — fine bubbles, brioche, lemon zest, and a finish that goes on for half a minute. The wine for anything fried, salty, or special.

White · Light · Dry

Italy's everyday white — light, lemony, neutral by design. Pleasant with anything; profound with very little. The best Friuli bottles are quietly excellent.

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Fortified red from Portugal's Douro Valley — sweet, warming, and surprisingly versatile. Ruby and LBV are for everyday; Vintage and Tawny are for serious occasions. Pair with blue cheese, walnuts, or just a fire.