Dipping

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 Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread +3 more Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread · Grilled Artichokes With Sesame Dipping Sauce · Asian Meatballs With Spicy Lime Dipping Sauce · Cauliflower Fritters Served With Spiced Yoghurt Dipping Sauce

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 Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread +2 more Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread · Grilled Artichokes With Sesame Dipping Sauce · Asian Meatballs With Spicy Lime Dipping Sauce

White · Full · Dry

California's flagship white — rounder, riper, and oakier than the Old World original, with tropical fruit, butter, and vanilla. Sonoma Coast and Sta. Rita Hills bottlings are leaner; Napa stays plush.

Works with Thai-style Dumplings With Coriander Dipping Sauce · Steamed Blue Crab With Black Ginger Dipping Sauce · Skewered Scallops With Orange-sesame Dipping Sauce +1 more Thai-style Dumplings With Coriander Dipping Sauce · Steamed Blue Crab With Black Ginger Dipping Sauce · Skewered Scallops With Orange-sesame Dipping Sauce · Chicken-pine Nut Dumplings With Chili-chili Dipping 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.

Works with Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread +1 more Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread · Grilled Artichokes With Sesame Dipping Sauce

White · Light · Dry

Sancerre's cousin across the Loire — Sauvignon Blanc with a smokier, flintier profile. The 'fumé' in the name refers to that struck-match minerality.

Works with Salmon Cakes With Tarragon-chive Dipping Sauce · Thai-style Dumplings With Coriander Dipping Sauce · Crab Pot Stickers With Sesame-ginger Dipping Sauce +1 more Salmon Cakes With Tarragon-chive Dipping Sauce · Thai-style Dumplings With Coriander Dipping Sauce · Crab Pot Stickers With Sesame-ginger Dipping Sauce · Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp With Garlic Dipping 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 Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread +1 more Dipping · Dipping Oil · Balsamic Vinegar Dipping Oil And Bread · Grilled Artichokes With Sesame Dipping Sauce

White · Medium · Dry

California and Pacific Northwest Gewürztraminer — lychee, rose petal, ginger, made riper and fuller than Alsace. The American spicy-food companion.

Works with Chicken Negimaki With Spicy Red Pepper Dipping Sauce · Chicken-pine Nut Dumplings With Chili-chili Dipping Sauce · Shellfish Skewers With Equatorial Glazing And Dipping Sauce

White · Light · Off-dry

Washington and Finger Lakes Rieslings split the difference between Mosel delicacy and Alsatian heft — bright stone fruit, modest sweetness, lively acid. A natural with Thai, Indian, and anything off the spice rack.

Works with Steamed Blue Crab With Black Ginger Dipping Sauce · Beef And Broccoli Wontons With Ginger Dipping Sauce · Shellfish Skewers With Equatorial Glazing And Dipping Sauce

Red · Light · Dry

Gamay-based reds from southern Burgundy — light, fruity, food-friendly. The serious Cru bottlings (Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent) drink like Pinot Noir at half the price.

Works with Salmon Cakes With Tarragon-chive Dipping Sauce · Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp With Garlic Dipping Sauce

White · Light · Dry

Marche's quietly excellent white — apple and almond, a faint bitterness on the finish, and unusual ageability for an Italian white. Try the Castelli di Jesi Riserva.

Works with Skewered Scallops With Orange-sesame Dipping Sauce · Shellfish Skewers With Equatorial Glazing And Dipping Sauce

Red · Medium · 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.

White · Medium · 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.