Boiled Lobster With Tarragon Butter

White · Light · Off-dry

Washington and Finger Lakes Rieslings split the difference between Mosel delicacy and Alsatian heft — bright stone fruit, modest sweetness, lively acid. A natural with Thai, Indian, and anything off the spice rack.

California's nearly-forgotten old-vine grape (called Bonarda in Argentina) — dense, plummy, peppery red wines from a handful of Napa producers. A connoisseur's wine.

A wine outside our reference catalogue — likely a single-producer or single-vineyard bottling. Open with a small pour to assess body and sweetness, then pair to match its weight.

White · Medium · Dry

Dry German Riesling — increasingly the country's flagship style. Stone fruit, slate minerality, racing acid; pairs beautifully with everything from sushi to schnitzel.

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.

Germany's 'late harvest' Prädikat — Riesling with measurable residual sweetness balanced by ringing acid. The off-dry sweet spot.

A regional or producer-specific wine outside our standard reference. Body, acid, and sweetness will tell you most of what you need to know — let the first sip guide the plate.

White · Light · Dry

Marche's quietly excellent white — apple and almond, a faint bitterness on the finish, and unusual ageability for an Italian white. Try the Castelli di Jesi Riserva.

White · Medium · Dry

The white grape of the Northern Rhône — full-bodied, peachy, faintly perfumed, with the texture of a quiet Chardonnay. Pairs with anything saffron-tinged or apricot-glazed.