On my neighbor’s coffee table lies a beautifully illustrated interior design book I sometimes flip through for inspiration. In the chapter on kitchens, my eye was recently drawn to an image of a glass-domed cake stand sitting pretty on a pristine marble countertop. “Keep it full of freshly baked specialties,” the author recommends, “to ensure even unexpected guests feel you were waiting for them.” This struck a chord with my American sense of hospitality before the image transformed in my mind’s eye from cake stand to wine bottle. In France or Italy, when you drop by unannounced, you’re more likely to be wined than dined, although you might have both.
      Wine can be just as casual and comforting as baked goods. This sampler is meant to arm you with an exceptional array of prime “house” wine candidates so you can be ready for company, glass-domed cake stand or not! These are the best kinds of wines: easy to open, easy to pair with snacks or starters, and easy on the pocketbook. Included are thirst quenchers from the Veneto, Loire, and Savoie, a dark, spicy Corbières rouge, and several charming Italian and Loire Valley reds. There’s one bone-dry rosé, and—particularly noteworthy—the Petit Royal from Seyssel: an Alpine sparkler so classy and so reasonably priced you might buy a whole case and call it a day. Imagine popping bubbly every time a friend drops by! Much more exciting than chocolate chip cookies in my book.