Recommended Seasonal Wines

Italian white wine – fruity, acidic, not long on the finish, good wines for food and good wines for quaffing at parties. Inexpensive pinot grigio in the $10 range is available everywhere and is easy drinking all year round – and especially at this time of year with festive holiday hors d’oeuvres.

For something a little more special, look for a Bolgheri vermentino from the coastal “Riviera of Tuscany.” I like the 2008 Campo al Mare (under $20 at the Enoteca della Santina in Sonoma) - a fun and lively Italian white with more body and heft than a pinot grigio, a gorgeous golden color, restrained fruitiness, and bone-dry finish. Great with vegetable antipasti, cave-aged cheeses, cured meats with grilled crusty bread, and pastas with butter sauces.