Champagne—properly considered—comes only from Champagne, France. We use the word “champagne” to mean any wine with bubbles, but we've just borrowed the name. Sure, not all the good sparkling stuff is French—but all the good stuff is made like Champagne.

The “little black dress” is a classic piece, versatile, even timeless. Likewise, in the wine world, wines in “little black bottles” are classic wines that mix and match with various foods with aplomb—the kinds of wines that you want to have around all the time and for every meal, including Thanksgiving Day dinner.

The dining car of the Venice Simplon Orient-Express, 1929 (restored). Photo by Hakone Lalique Museum, Japan.

Ever notice how so many vineyards (in especially Eruope) are named after the ghosts of the past? Photo of Wegekreuz bei Blienschwiller, Germany, from Rolf Kranz.

The label of 1807 Thomas Buchanan Madeira. Photo courtesy of Rare Wine Company.

The range of colors in Sherry. Photo from Creativa.

Keep in mind that it’s the globe’s lighter reds that will put you palate in good stead with as wide a range of foods as you wish to enjoy.

Like Gaul, all of Beaujolais is divided into three parts: Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages and what are known as the Beaujolais “crus.”

Here’s to the reds of summer: soft, smooth, juicy reds that you’ll want to gulp rather than sip. Even reds that can take a chill.

What if you don’t drink alcoholic beverages, for whatever reason, and the recipe calls for wine?

Using wine as a cooking liquid goes way back in culinary time.

In wine, no place equals France.

Pink is the new black. Sales of imported dry rosé wine have tripled during the past 25 years.

Nearly every French winemaking region outside Champagne produces sparkling wine.

Red wines get your attention; white wines request it. Red wines deliver; white wines entice. Photo from Pinar Kucuk on unsplash.

Chocolate is a food, and guidelines that help us to profitably pair wine and food ought rule here as well. Photo from Kelly Visel on unsplash.

Are there “Just Say No” foods, such as runny eggs or asparagus, that you should never drink with wine?

Recommendations of wines or wine styles for both Easter and Passover meals.

The story of wine is an ancient one in both Hebrew and Christian cultures.  

Spain produces close to one-third of all the wine in the world (as do Italy and France).