Squid With Ink

Catalonia's smallest appellation, right outside Barcelona — Pansa Blanca-based whites and increasingly serious reds from a tiny region. A local secret.

Spanish wine's entry-level aging tier — two years total with at least one in oak. The everyday Spanish red with a touch of vanilla and softness.

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.

France's most coastal serious appellation — vineyards above Nice making whites, reds, and rosés from native grapes. Tiny production, hard to find, increasingly celebrated.

Red · Medium · Dry

Bordeaux's traditional rosé-red — darker than rosé, lighter than red, a historical style with strawberry, herb, and easy drinkability.

Aragón's Garnacha capital — old-vine reds at remarkable prices, plus a touch of crisp white. Spain's most consistent under-$15 red.

Provence's coastal white — Marsanne and Clairette blends from a tiny appellation outside Marseille. Bright, mineral, salt-air-tinged; the bouillabaisse wine.

A broad Provence appellation between the Rhône and the Mediterranean — pale dry rosés, easy reds, the picnic wine of southern France.

Hermitage's affordable shadow — Northern Rhône Syrah grown on the flat lands below the great hill. Bright, peppery, food-friendly; drinks well young.

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

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.

Roussillon reds — Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan from southern France's hottest corner. Generous, garrigue-scented, surprisingly age-worthy.