Onion Tarts

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 Onion Tarts · Caramelized-onion And Gruyère Tarts

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.

White · Light · Dry

California's take — riper than Sancerre, calmer than Marlborough, with grapefruit, melon, and a clean mineral finish. The everyday white that pairs with almost anything green or briny.

Piedmont's other serious white — Roero's signature grape, with pear, almond, and a faintly bitter finish. Once nearly extinct, now widely planted.

White · Medium · Dry

Grüner Veltliner or Riesling from Austria — green apple, white pepper, laser acid. Among the most food-friendly whites on earth.

White · Medium · Off-dry

Lychee, rose petal, and a touch of ginger; medium-bodied, low-acid, and unmistakable. The wine for any cuisine where the spice cabinet did the heavy lifting.

White · Medium · Dry

Austria's national white — green apple, white pepper, faint celery; lean acid, medium body, and an uncanny ability to pair with otherwise wine-hostile vegetables like asparagus and artichoke.

Red · Medium · Dry

Italy's most popular under-$15 red — the Montepulciano grape (not the Tuscan town) from Abruzzo, all sour cherry, plum, soft tannins. The pizza-and-pasta wine.

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

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

Bordeaux's Left Bank — Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blends with structure, gravel, and the patience to age. The classic claret profile.

White · Medium · Dry

Alsace's everyday white — Pinot Bianco's French expression, all apple, pear, and a soft mineral finish. The reliable house-wine alternative.

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.