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This flavorsome vegetable will make most reds taste metallic, especially when a Hollandaise sauce is involved. White or rosé Sancerre works well here, as does dry Tokay Pinot Gris, Cabernet d’Anjou, or rosé from the Jura or Burgundy regions. Dry white Loire Sauvignon is delicious with asparagus, as the wine can have an asparagus flavor of its own. Another option is unoaked Chablis or good Pouilly Fuissé. Whether they are stuffed or used in ratatouille, eggplants are well matched to reds from southern France and peppery Côtes du Rhône.

Nowadays, glasses are even designed to bring out the best in particular wines. dish, but that was more than compensated for by the setting, the company, and the flavor. Had I been drinking either of these wines at home, however, I would have taken the trouble to serve them in glasses that helped to bring out their potential. The Austrian glass manufacturer Georg Riedel has, with inventive genius, proven that by altering the form of the glass, he can subtly but perceptibly bring out the flavors of different kinds of wines.

And of what, precisely? Is the aroma simple or complex? To an experienced nose, a few sniffs can reveal much about a wine’s origin and quality. SNIFF Swirl the wine around the glass, take a good sniff, then concentrate on what you have smelled. Does the wine seem light or intense? Fresh and clean, or musty, dirty, or vinegary? Does it smell of fruits, spices, flowers, or vegetables? Fix that smell or mixture of smells in your memory, and you will be surprised how quickly you begin to acquire the skill of guessing at the identity of a wine without having to read the label.