The nip now showing up in the air is a welcome reprieve from the dog days of summer that seemed to steamingly stretch on and on. Time to rethink your wine plan. Here are four, none of which are the usual suspects, like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the like.

Yes, I know that we’re all way past the white-with-fish and red-with-meat thing. That said, as with many “truisms,” there is some there there. We don’t wash down delicate fish preparations with Cabs because you wouldn’t be able to taste that delicate fish preparation. Likewise, whites really can’t keep up with a ribeye. They, too, would disappear once you put a forkful of that cow into your mouth.

Despite my New York City proximity, I had never been to the Jersey Shore. Sure, like many of us might sheepishly admit, we’ve watched it, but my family’s occasional quests for sun and sand always landed us elsewhere. A recent stay, albeit brief, was a lot of fun, and thankfully, not in a “Jersey Shore” kind of way! Before I plunge into my first Jersey wine, allow me a brief digression into the charms of Point Pleasant Beach.

What experiences have you had with bottles with lots of age on them? You would expect that a well-aged Classified Bordeaux as well as many other more expensive bottles should be able to take the passing of time. Have you been disappointed in a bottle like that? I guess it’s fair to say that if you can get 30 or 40 years out of a very modestly priced bottle, that should never be a disappointment!

I recently had the opportunity to pop open a friend’s 2016 Freemark Abbey Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. I’ve always liked Freemark Abbey’s wines, though because they’re not inexpensive (it’s Napa, after all), they’re not usually on my shopping list. And that’s not a shot across the bow.

As our weather-challenging summer of discontent enters its final turn, it’s time to think of what to drink during the official close of grilling season on Labor Day Weekend. Of course, many of us can light the charcoal chimney or turn on the gas longer or even all year round. These wines, some which may be unexpected, should be just as in play for you fortunate outdoor chefs, as well.

As our weather-challenging summer of discontent enters its final turn, it’s time to think of what to drink during the official close of grilling season on Labor Day Weekend. Of course, many of us can light the charcoal chimney or turn on the gas longer or even all year round. These wines, some which may be unexpected, should be just as in play for you fortunate outdoor chefs, as well.

While wandering through the always-bustling Pósthús Food Hall in the old part of Reykjavík, I somehow managed to be inspired to do a dive into Bolla’s Verona IGT which I came across at the Italian stall. You’d be well within rights to ask, what was I thinking? I’m actually not sure that I was at that point given that I had just completed four hours of driving coupled with a two-and-a-half hour ferry to get from the West Fjords, where we had been the last week, to this lovely, low-rise capital city for three nights before flying home to New York City.

When in Iceland, as I was with my family recently, do as the Icelanders do: Eat their famous hotdogs, and lots of them. The primary ingredient in Icelandic hotdogs is lamb. (Fun fact: There are nearly twice as many sheep living on this pile of volcanic rocks than humans.) This makes their dog distinct from beef or pork versions. 

Our food/wine pairing philosophy is, first, relax, because there are very few horrible matches and very few perfect ones, but there is a universe of good to better than good ones in between. Our recommendations, while we believe in them, are merely guides. Here is the Riesling entry. I hope you find it useful. 

It’s such an unexpected delight to open a bottle that despite being decades past the expiration of its warranty is somehow drinking beautifully. Of course, bottles of wine don’t come with warranties (maybe they should, especially at the high end!) but the more bottles you open, the more of a sense of how long you can reasonably expect them to show a credible version of themselves upon that opening.

Sauvignon Blanc bottles really skew two ways: They are either lemony fresh or grassy and verdant. There will often be chalky, minerally components as well. The green style often veers toward bell pepper which some love and some don’t. There will always be zesty acidity and unobtrusive weight and texture.

By now, anyone who has bothered to parse some of my posts, knows I’m no fan of rosé unless it’s rife with bubbles. No judgment (or not much to the faces) of those who worship the pink stuff, especially during the hot months.

There is a place for every style of wine, from bone dry to richly sweet, but a consumer should never have to guess where on the scale their bottle falls. Back labels sometimes address this issue. Even assuming that Alsace producers one day provide full and fair disclosure on their back labels, there will always be the German thing.

It’s true that you could hire me to put on a wine tasting for you and your friends. And while there is a certainly a lot of value added by having someone like me present a range of wines to you and your guests, and engage you in thoughtful and fun back and forths, you could host your own. Perhaps the dive into the wines won’t be quite as deep, but it certainly can be just as fun.

The sprawling Loire region is far and away the world's most diverse wine-wise. It tracks the mighty Loire, France's longest river, as it snakes through just about every kind of high-quality vine-growing zone.

If there’s one thing I love most about hosting these events, it’s making wine feel approachable. You don’t need to know your tannins from your terroir to fall for a great glass. Whether you’re a longtime collector or simply curious, a guided tasting is really just permission to ask questions, follow your palate, and enjoy the ride, no pretense required.

Pity Chablis. Despite its centuries-long, high-profile winemaking history, it has been forced to contend with being thought of as little more than a generic term for some sort of white wine. Even more humiliating, that wine can usually be picked up by its jug handle.

I’ll lead with something I always say when asked about wine/food pairing. There are very few perfect wine/food matches and very few horrible wine/food matches but there is a universe of good to better-than-good wine/food matches in between.