Courgette

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 Courgette Soup · Stir-fried Courgettes With Fresh Chillies And Sweet Basil.

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 Courgette Salad · Stir-fried Courgettes With Fresh Chillies And Sweet Basil.

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.

Bordeaux's affordable shadow just to the east — same grape blends, simpler structure, much lower prices. The everyday red of southwest France.

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 · Off-dry

The Loire's most versatile grape — bone-dry and steely from Savennières, honeyed and ageless from Vouvray. Naturally high acid keeps every style food-friendly.

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.

Lombardy's quietly serious white — Turbiana (a Trebbiano relative) grown on the shores of Lake Garda. Lemon, almond, stone-fruit; ages better than most expect.

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.

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.

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.