And to Drink …

The color of a cooked dish can sometimes suggest the color of the wine that will go best. But the brick color of this pasta dish is not a clue. Despite the presence of the cooked tomato paste, the sweetness of the shallots and the sharp anchovy flavor call for an incisive white that is fresh and lively but not oaky. That’s the sort of white wine that Italy does well, north to south. Take your pick, whether Soave, vermentino, fiano or a carricante from Sicily. Beyond Italy, a Corsican white would be great. So would a cava sparkler from Spain. If you want to blow people’s minds, serve them a good retsina from Greece. If you prefer a red, the same thoughts apply: good acidity, low tannins, no oak. Sounds like an inexpensive barbera to me. ERIC ASIMOV