Greek Mushrooms Salad

Red · Medium · 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.

Provence's most serious red — Mourvèdre-dominated, structured, savory, with notes of black olive, leather, and Mediterranean herb. The age-worthy alternative to a southern Rhône.

Bordeaux's affordable shadow just to the east — same grape blends, simpler structure, much lower prices. The everyday red of southwest France.

Provence rosé at its most classic — pale, dry, Mediterranean, with strawberry, citrus, and a saline finish. The wine of Provençal lunches.

The Jura's broader appellation — Chardonnay and Savagnin whites with the oxidative, nutty character that defines the region. A taste for adventure helps.

Burgundy's northernmost village appellation — Pinot Noir reds and rosés of remarkable value, often drinking like serious Côte de Nuits at half the price.

White · Light · Dry

Sancerre's cousin across the Loire — Sauvignon Blanc with a smokier, flintier profile. The 'fumé' in the name refers to that struck-match minerality.

A small Loire Sauvignon Blanc appellation on chalk and flint — clean, citrusy, slightly more delicate than Sancerre. The insider's pick.

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.

An uncatalogued varietal or single-vineyard wine. Taste before pairing: assess color, weight, and any obvious sweetness, then plate accordingly.

White · Light · Dry

Sauvignon Blanc from the upper Loire, grown on flint and chalk. Citrus, smoke, and a mineral finish that hints at struck stone. The refined antithesis of New Zealand's tropical SBs.