Braised Duck

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 Braised Duck · Braised Duck Leg With European Potato Salad · Cantonese Style Braised Bao Yu With Duck Feet

Red · Full · Dry

The classical red blend — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and friends — from southwest France. Black currant, cedar, tobacco; serious structure; rewards patience and decanting.

Works with Braised Duck Legs · Braised Duck Legs And Sautéed Duck Breast

Red · Medium · Dry

Pinot Noir (red) or Chardonnay (white) from the world's most expensive dirt. Translucent, perfumed, ethereal at the top of the hierarchy; honest and pleasant lower down. Drink slowly, with reverence.

Works with Braised Duck · Braised Duck Leg With European Potato Salad

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 Braised Duck · Braised Duck Leg With European Potato Salad

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.

Works with Gnocchi W Braised Duck Ragu · Cantonese Style Braised Bao Yu With Duck Feet

White · Light · Off-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.

Works with Braised Duck Legs And Sautéed Duck Breast · Cantonese Style Braised Bao Yu With Duck Feet

White · Light · Dry

Citrus, cut grass, and a wire of acid. Marlborough makes it loudest; Sancerre makes it most refined. Either way, it cuts cleanly through goat cheese, herbs, and anything with shellfish.

Works with Braised Duck · Braised Duck Leg With European Potato Salad

Red · Full · Dry

Old-vine Shiraz from Barossa or McLaren Vale: dark, peppery, and unembarrassed about its size. Black plum, smoked meat, licorice, and a finish that lingers like the last embers of a grill.

Works with Braised Duck Legs · Braised Duck Legs And Sautéed Duck Breast

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.

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.

Red · Medium · Dry

Tuscany's everyday red, made from Sangiovese — cherry, leather, and a brisk acidity that makes tomato-based dishes sing. The Classico designation marks the historic heartland and a step up in quality.

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.