The experience of coming up with a fresh dinner plan each night is universal. What to cook, order, or revisit plagues us all, even the most enthusiastic home chef. But there is one way to break up the drill, to bring a bit of thrill to the equation: a plentiful variety of wines for pairing. When options abound, possibilities arise. Having an array of styles and colors on hand, each entirely unique, sets us on the path toward an inspired meal. The exercise, akin to a wine roulette—which bottle will I land on?—brings an element of surprise to an otherwise tired routine, a glimmer of mystery to what may feel predictable!
     Focusing our sights on Italy, a country with seemingly as many grape varieties as inhabitants, we’ve curated a twelve-bottle sampler in which no two regions, blends, or growers are alike, to optimize your chances of having a novel experience at each meal. Reach for a Riesling from Alto Adige with a platter of sushi, or a prickly Verdicchio to bring aperitivo hour to life. From Sardinia, we’ve included Deperu Holler’s rustic, full-bodied rosso for meatier cravings, in contrast to the plummy and versatile Torrette from Château Feuillet in the Valle d’Aosta. For any range of comfort dishes, you’ll find classics like Geggiano’s cherry-pitted, peppery Chianti, or a vibrant and earthy Etna Rosso from Vigneti Vecchio.
     While we don’t encourage gambling, wine roulette is a low-stakes game; every bet placed will reap a handsome reward.

Avec toutes mes amitiés Beaujolaises, “with all my Beaujolais friendship,” is how Ghislaine Dupeuble signs her emails. That detail succinctly summarizes her warmth and the essence of her family’s wines, which exude just what her signature suggests. Domaine Dupeuble is our most southern Beaujolais producer, situated in the hamlet of Le Breuil, just northwest of the food capital of Lyon. This part of the region boasts such dramatic landscapes and striking terroir that just a few years ago UNESCO declared the area a Geopark—worthy of protection for its spectacular geology. Here, Gamay grows on granite, schist, and pierres dorées, golden limestone that offers a privileged terrain for grapevines to dig deep in a way that’s wildly different from plantings in the sandier soil surrounding Villié-Morgon.
     The 2023 vintage in Beaujolais gave us one of the most bountiful years of late, with an abundance of bright plump fruit. Dupeuble’s rouge is thirst-quenching and tangy with loads of violet and réglisse, aromas you might expect from fruit that grows so close to the Rhône. Enjoy it with anything from grilled sausages to homemade pizzas, herby rice and beans, or late-summer tomato salads. One glass of this simply made and easy-drinking Beaujolais will provide centuries’ worth of tradition, generosity, paysan culture, and friendship.

We couldn’t be happier to present the very first release from one of Montalcino's most exciting new projects. John Benda grew up in Rome but spent most of his life in London, where he made a career in finance. He developed a deep passion for fine wines, and boldly changed course and rededicated himself to winemaking. Drawn to the wild landscapes of Tuscany, he moved to Montalcino, where he spent years learning the ins and outs of Brunello production. An opportunity then presented itself, and John pounced: at auction he purchased a large plot of untouched forest containing two one-hectare vineyards. It is an exceptional terroir, isolated deep in the woods at the highest point of the Brunello zone on soils rich in sand, limestone, and rocky galestro.
     John and his partner, Zoë, have toiled tirelessly to restructure the vineyards, introducing biodynamic methodologies that have turned these small parcels into vibrant oases. They spend every possible moment working their vines by hand in an effort to produce top-quality fruit, then use low-intervention, traditional methods in the cellar, including natural fermentations, aging in large botti, and bottling unfiltered with minimal sulfur.
     J. G. Benda’s first release is an energetic Sangiovese of incredible purity and vibrancy from these remote vineyards high in the woods. The deep perfume of flowers, turned earth, and vivid berry fruit, along with the elegant, satiny tannin, make this a truly special Rosso radiating class and finesse. You won’t want to miss this inaugural red from a young Montalcino prodigy.

In Italy, it would have been called a trattoria—lots of wood and terra-cotta—but about twenty-five years ago I was downtown Perpignan in French Catalonia, Christine Campadieu having invited me to one of her favorite haunts for some local cooking. The main course was a vegetable gratin, and I liked it so much, I asked the chef for the recipe and printed it for you in last year’s August brochure. Remember? So simple. Layers of various summer vegetables like red peppers and eggplant, each layer topped with some glugs of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Since Perpignan, I often make up gratins. For example, last night I looked through my kitchen pantry and ended up with . . .

PROVENÇAL POTATO/FENNEL GRATIN

     Spread a good bit of chopped onion on the bottom of a gratin dish and sprinkle with a glug or two or three of olive oil.
     With a knife or mandoline, slice potatoes thick, thin, or in between and put a layer on top of the onions. Add more glugs of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
     Then a layer of thinly sliced fennel bulb, salt, pepper, and olive oil. You might also sprinkle on some dried thyme and thinly sliced garlic. Not required, however.
     Keep building potato and fennel layers as above until the quantity fits your needs. Yes, always with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bake for about an hour at 390°F.

     What a burst of Provençal aromatics. I’d say your biggest challenge these days is finding potatoes that have any potato flavor.
     To drink or not to drink? Okay. But what? That is the question. A bottle of Bandol rouge 2001 from Domaine de Terrebrune hit the exact spot I was aiming for. A Provençal bull’s-eye! At twenty-three years old, it is mellowed out and sensuous. An aged Chianti would have been good, too. Or one of the well-priced Barberas we import. Or one of the great Corsican reds from the talented Yves Canarelli. I mean, that guy and I must have similar palates. Red, white, rosé, I’m a fan. Or serve our inexpensive KL Côtes-du-Rhône Villages—a magical, lavishly flavored blend by my son, Anthony. Provence in your glass! And the beat goes on, my friends, and the beat goes on.