Butter Pear

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 Butter Pear · Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears +2 more Butter Pear · Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears · Roasted Butternut Squash And Pear Soup With A Dollop Of Blue Cheese · Ravioli Stuffed With Pears, Ricotta And Pecorino Cheese With A Butter Sage Sauce

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 Butter Pear · Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears +1 more Butter Pear · Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears · Butternut Squash And Bartlett Pears

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 Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears · Butternut Squash And Bartlett Pears

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 Butter Pear · Roasted Butternut Squash And Pear Soup With A Dollop Of Blue Cheese · Ravioli Stuffed With Pears, Ricotta And Pecorino Cheese With A Butter Sage Sauce

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 Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears · Butternut Squash And Bartlett Pears

Fortified · Medium · Dry

Andalusia's fortified white — runs from bone-dry Fino through nutty Amontillado to syrupy PX. The dry styles pair brilliantly with tapas; the sweet ones replace dessert entirely.

Works with Butternut Squash Pear Soup · Butternut Squash Soup With Pears · Roasted Butternut Squash And Pear Soup With A Dollop Of Blue Cheese

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 Roasted Butternut Squash And Pear Soup With A Dollop Of Blue Cheese · Ravioli Stuffed With Pears, Ricotta And Pecorino Cheese With A Butter Sage Sauce

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.

White · Medium · Dry

Austria's national white — green apple, white pepper, faint celery; lean acid, medium body, and an uncanny ability to pair with otherwise wine-hostile vegetables like asparagus and artichoke.

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Fortified red from Portugal's Douro Valley — sweet, warming, and surprisingly versatile. Ruby and LBV are for everyday; Vintage and Tawny are for serious occasions. Pair with blue cheese, walnuts, or just a fire.

Red · Medium · Dry

The soul of Tuscany — bright red cherry, dried herbs, and a savory line of acidity that craves tomato sauce. Chianti is the everyday face; Brunello is its serious cousin.