Americaine

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 Americaine · Monkfish Or Goosefish A L'americaine (american Style)

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.

Loire wines from around the city of Angers — Chenin Blanc whites (dry to sweet) and Cabernet Franc rosés. The whites are tremendous values.

A Côte de Beaune village just above Meursault — both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at affordable prices. The savvy Burgundy buy.

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.

White · Medium · Dry

Chardonnay grown on Burgundy's chalkiest soils, almost never oaked. Lean, steely, oyster-shell minerality; a wine that tastes like a place. The wine for shellfish, full stop.

Red · Medium · Dry

A modern catchall for Bordeaux's outlying right-bank appellations — Merlot-led blends at honest everyday prices. Useful Bordeaux without the fuss.

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.

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.

A tiny Jura appellation — Chardonnay and Savagnin whites, both topped (under flor) and untopped, with the oxidative character that defines the region. Singular and underrated.

Burgundy's most generous white — rich, buttery, full of stone fruit and toasted nut. The Chardonnay you reach for when Chablis feels too austere.