Monkfish Or Goosefish

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 Monkfish Or Goosefish · Monkfish Or Goosefish With Orange And Saffron

White · Medium · Dry

Same grape as Pinot Grigio, different attitude — the Alsatian style is richer, fuller, faintly honeyed, with the structure to handle pork, smoked fish, and Asian aromatics.

White · Medium · 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.

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.

Red · Medium · Dry

Pinot Noir (red) or Chardonnay (white) from the world's most expensive dirt. Translucent, perfumed, ethereal at the top of the hierarchy; honest and pleasant lower down. Drink slowly, with reverence.

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.

Puligny's slightly riper twin — same DNA, a touch more flesh, often a fraction less expensive. The Burgundian sweet spot.

The southernmost Rhône appellation — Grenache-Syrah blends from the windswept plateaus near Nîmes. Sun-baked, peppery, honest; the bistro Rhône.

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

The original Bordeaux region — gravelly soils producing both Cabernet-led reds and serious Sauvignon-Semillon whites. The reds are leaner and more savory than the Médoc.

The Northern Rhône's grandest red — pure Syrah from a single granite hillside, age-worthy for decades. Black olive, smoked meat, violet, and a tannic spine that demands time.

Southwest France's quiet treasure — both bone-dry and lusciously sweet wines from the Gros and Petit Manseng grapes. The sweet bottlings are world-class.