Sour Kraut

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 Sour Kraut · Sour Kraut & Brats · Halibut With Sour Kraut

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 Sour Kraut · Sour Kraut & Brats

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 Sour Kraut · Sour Kraut & Brats

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 Sour Kraut · Sour Kraut & Brats

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 · 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.

Alsace's quietly delicious supporting grape — light, lemony, faintly herbal, with the structure to handle fish and lighter pork dishes.

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.

White · Medium · Dry

Chablis's pinnacle — seven hillside vineyards above the village producing Chardonnay of remarkable depth and longevity. Decant; pair with serious shellfish.

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.

The Rhône's most famous appellation — up to 13 grape varieties blended into something dense, warm, peppery, and unmistakable. Black cherry, garrigue, leather; built for braised lamb and aged cheese.

A specialty bottling we haven't documented in detail. Treat the first sip as research — note the body and acidity, then choose food that matches.