Potato Bacon Soup

Red · Full · Dry

The benchmark for full-bodied red — structured, age-worthy, unapologetic. Black currant, graphite, and tobacco lead into firm tannins that demand protein on the plate. Decant young bottles; cellar the serious ones.

Works with Potato Bacon Soup · Bacon Potato Soup · Loaded Potato Soup With Lamb Bacon And Bleu Cheese

Red · Full · Dry

Argentina's signature grape: deep purple, plummy, and remarkably smooth for its weight. Soft tannins and a touch of cocoa make it the dinner-party Cabernet alternative — and far easier on the wallet.

Works with Potato Bacon Soup · Bacon Potato Soup · Loaded Potato Soup With Lamb Bacon And Bleu Cheese

Red · Full · Dry

Shiraz's more reserved European cousin — Northern Rhône style, all violets, black olive, and white pepper. Less brawn, more poise; pairs as well with lamb as with peppered duck breast.

Works with Potato Bacon Soup · Bacon Potato Soup · Loaded Potato Soup With Lamb Bacon And Bleu Cheese

Red · Light · Dry

Gamay-based reds from southern Burgundy — light, fruity, food-friendly. The serious Cru bottlings (Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent) drink like Pinot Noir at half the price.

Works with Potato, Bacon, And Gruyère Soup · Cheddar Potato Soup With Bacon

Red · Medium · Dry

The benchmark for full-bodied red — structured, age-worthy, unapologetic. Black currant, graphite, and tobacco lead into firm tannins that demand protein on the plate. Decant young bottles; cellar the serious ones.

Red · Medium · Dry

Napa-style Cabernet at heart — bigger, riper, more accessible than Bordeaux, with black currant, cocoa, and supple tannins. The American steakhouse classic.

White · Full · Dry

California's flagship white — rounder, riper, and oakier than the Old World original, with tropical fruit, butter, and vanilla. Sonoma Coast and Sta. Rita Hills bottlings are leaner; Napa stays plush.

Red · Medium · Dry

California Merlot, when made well — plummy, supple, with a touch of cocoa and earlier drinkability than its Bordeaux cousins. The unfairly maligned dinner-party red.

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.

Red · Medium · Dry

The grape that puts the warmth in southern French reds — strawberry, raspberry, white pepper, and a finish that's all sun and stones. The backbone of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and rosé from Provence.

Red · Medium · Dry

The blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre that fills every wine list in France for a reason — friendly, peppery, slightly rustic, made to wash down anything from grilled vegetables to lamb stew.

Red · Medium · Dry

Tempranillo-based blend from northern Spain, traditionally oak-aged into something quietly profound. Cherry, dill, vanilla, leather; great with lamb, paella, and aged Manchego.