Balsamic Pea

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 Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic · Roasted Balsamic Pears With Burrata Cheese +2 more Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic · Roasted Balsamic Pears With Burrata Cheese · Roquefort Cheesecake With Pears In Balsamic Vinaigrette · Endive Salad With Pears, Roquefort, And Walnuts With Balsamic And Raspberry Jam Dressing

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 Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic · Roasted Balsamic Pears With Burrata Cheese +1 more Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic · Roasted Balsamic Pears With Burrata Cheese · Roquefort Cheesecake With Pears In Balsamic Vinaigrette

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 Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic · Mixed Greens Pear Balsamic +1 more Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic · Mixed Greens Pear Balsamic · Endive Salad With Pears, Roquefort, And Walnuts With Balsamic And Raspberry Jam Dressing

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.

Works with Roasted Balsamic Pears With Burrata Cheese · Roquefort Cheesecake With Pears In Balsamic Vinaigrette · Endive Salad With Pears, Roquefort, And Walnuts With Balsamic And Raspberry Jam Dressing

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.

Works with Mixed Greens Pear Balsamic · Roquefort Cheesecake With Pears In Balsamic Vinaigrette · Endive Salad With Pears, Roquefort, And Walnuts With Balsamic And Raspberry Jam Dressing

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 Mixed Greens Pear Balsamic · Roquefort Cheesecake With Pears In Balsamic Vinaigrette · Endive Salad With Pears, Roquefort, And Walnuts With Balsamic And Raspberry Jam Dressing

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 Balsamic Pea · Arugula Pears Balsamic

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.

Works with Seared White Peaches With Fig Balsamic Reduction · Pork Tenderloin W/roasted Pears And Balsamic Sauce

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

Asti's more refined sibling — gently frizzante, only 5-6% alcohol, all peach and orange blossom. The perfect summer dessert wine.

Works with Pears And Balsamic Vinegar · Pear With Balsamic Brushetta

White · Light · Off-dry

Aromatic, racy, and shapeshifting — bone-dry in Alsace, off-dry on the Mosel, syrupy and ageless when late-harvested. The single most versatile wine for spicy food on earth.

Works with Pear With Balsamic Brushetta · Seared White Peaches With Fig Balsamic Reduction

Dessert · Full · Sweet

Bordeaux's legendary sweet white — Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc hit by noble rot, then patiently fermented. Honey, apricot, candied citrus, and a finish that lasts a small eternity. Pair with foie gras, blue cheese, or a fruit tart.

Works with Pears And Balsamic Vinegar · Pear With Balsamic Brushetta

White · Full · Dry

California's flagship white — rounder, riper, and oakier than the Old World original, with tropical fruit, butter, and vanilla. Sonoma Coast and Sta. Rita Hills bottlings are leaner; Napa stays plush.