Drinks: Ciao, Christopher Columbus!
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If Christopher Columbus had stored very good Italian wine onboard, he might have had a less rebellious crew. But things worked out. To celebrate his voyages, uncork a few bottles of vino.
VOVETI Prosecco ($17) starts the partying with good bubbles and fresh, peachy flavor. It's a fine aperitif and goes with classic antipasti, from prosciutto onward. Tasty with spicy Asian dishes, too.
Arneis is a white wine grape from Piedmont. Sample the medium-bodied 2010 Ceretto Blangè Langhe Arneis ($28), a fruity wine with a suggestion of pear. Arneis is ideal with your last pesto sauce, as well as beef carpaccio, seafood salad and light preparations of shellfish and finfish.
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Versatility defines the 2008 Castelli di Volpaia Chianti Classico ($24), a lively and gutsy sangiovese with splashes of merlot and syrah. Terrific with red-sauced pastas and a lot more. A more elegant red: the 2005 Castelli di Volpaia Balifico ($57), a ripe union of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon, and a silky berried, red-meat wine.
In the Northeast, where white wines reign, you also will find lagrein, a red wine grape. The 2007 Elena Walch Lagrein Riserva 'Castel Ringberg' ($32) is a harmonious, garnet-hued wine from the Südtirol-Alto Adige. Good structure, good fruit, a match for grilled meat.
More complex, oakier, minerally, with hints of blackberry and spice is another lagrein, the 2007 Terlano Porphyr Lagrein Riserva ($55). Here's big red to complement a rich beef or lamb stew, steak au poivre, and the first venison of the season. You'll be ready to set sail.
