Grilled Shrimp and Riesling

Delicate grilled shrimp would be overwhelmed by a powerful red. That's why this recipe goes best with a crisp, light white.

Perfect Wine Match
When pairing wine with food, remember that individual ingredients can matter enormously. For example, the zucchini and shrimp in this recipe are both quite subtle and could be easily overwhelmed by a powerful red or a rich white wine, especially one matured in oak. Meanwhile, the bacon might go well with a light, fruity red, but when partnered with zucchini and shrimp, it really needs a crisp white. I'd recommend a Riesling from Alsace or Germany such as the 1998 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett by J. J. Prüm ($20). With its light apple flavors and fresh floral character, it's an attractively low-alcohol (9 percent) wine. Prüm is one of the best estates in Germany's Mosel, and the grapes that go into this wine come from a superb, near-vertical vineyard, Sonnenuhr, whose name refers to an old sundial landmark. As an alternative to Riesling, a Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, such as the crisp, dry 1996 Domaine des Baumard Savennières would be my top pick. It has intense apple-honey flavors and a pleasantly dry finish. It's a bargain at $14 a bottle.

-Robert Joseph

Stylish Skewers
Skewers let you grill even the smallest morsels of food without losing them to the briquettes below. Stainless steel skewers can go over the hottest grill, unlike tinned-steel ones, which melt at high temperatures, and wooden ones, which need to be soaked first and burn anyway. Flat skewers are best because they won't turn in the food, making it easier to cook everything evenly. Stainless skewers ($4 each from Bowery Kitchen Supplies; 212-219-1457). Grillman skewers by Amco ($7 for a set of 4, from Bed Bath & Beyond; 212-255-3550). Cheftender chrome-plated skewers ($3 for a set of 4, from Broadway Panhandler; 866-266-5927). Stainless steel oval skewers ($3.25 each, from Crate & Barrel; 800-967-6696). Animal skewers by Wüsthof ($16 each, from Dean & DeLuca; 212-226-6800).

Published June 2001