Clafoutis

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 Clafoutis · Cherry Clafoutis

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 Clafoutis · Cherry Clafoutis

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 Clafoutis · Cherry Clafoutis

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 Clafoutis · Cherry Clafoutis

Dessert · Medium · Sweet

A style designation rather than a single wine — grapes left to over-ripen for concentrated sugar and intense flavor. Common in Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and many dessert Chardonnays. Always sweet, always memorable.

Dessert · Light · Sweet

The Muscat grape made into sweet, low-alcohol, aromatic wines. Asti is the sparkling expression; still versions range from dry (rare) to dessert-sweet (common). Always smells like grapes.

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

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

Sparkling · Light · Off-dry

Veneto's everyday sparkler — Glera grape, charmat method, frothier and fruitier than Champagne. Pear, white flowers, easy fun. Made for aperitivo.

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.

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.