Olives And Cheese

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 Chicken With Olives And Feta Cheese · Penne With Eggplant, Olives And Feta Cheese

White · Light · Dry

California's take — riper than Sancerre, calmer than Marlborough, with grapefruit, melon, and a clean mineral finish. The everyday white that pairs with almost anything green or briny.

Works with Penne With Tomatoes, Olives And Two Cheese · Oven-dried Tomato Tart With Goat Cheese And Black Olives

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 Olives And Cheese · Kalmata Olives And Cheese

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 Olives And Cheese · Kalmata Olives And Cheese

White · Medium · 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 Chicken With Olives And Feta Cheese · Penne With Eggplant, Olives And Feta Cheese

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 Olives And Cheese · Kalmata Olives And Cheese

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 Chicken With Olives And Feta Cheese · Penne With Eggplant, Olives And Feta Cheese

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.

Shorthand most often for Pinot Noir — light-bodied, perfumed red wine with cherry and earth. Burgundy's most temperamental and rewarding grape.

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.

Rosé · Light · 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.

White · Light · Dry

Veneto's everyday white — Garganega grape, light, almondy, citrus-finished. The good single-vineyard bottles drink like little Chablis.