Vegetable eaters take heart; lots of wines taste great with foods cooked outside the animal protein corral. Stick to lighter reds, fuller-flavored whites and even, as suggested here, wines with a faint whisper of the vegetal themselves.
One note of caution, though, for anyone eating artichoke: The thistle’s fruit contains a unique element, cynarin, that causes anything eaten to taste sweeter than it already is (for a few people, contrariwise, cynarin makes for bitter tastes). Be sure the wines you serve are very dry (nonsweet), lest they may come off as cloyingly sweet.
The food:
Spring vegetable stew
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven; add 1 chopped shallot and 5 chopped green onions. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves garlic, minced; cook 1 minute. Add 1 small bunch asparagus, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 package (10 ounces) thawed frozen artichoke hearts, cut in half; 1 cup chicken broth, 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes, 1 can (15 ounces) small white beans and 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon. Cook over low heat until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated pecorino cheese. Makes: 4 servings
The wines
2010 Justin Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles:
Warm days further flavor development, while very cool nights retain crisp acidities in this well-priced white, with its suggestion of celery stalk and fennel. $15
2020 Dario Coos Ribolla Gialla, Friuli, Italy:
This little-known white grape shines in northeastern Italy where it renders juicy, suave wines with trademark citrusy aromas and a nutty finish. $13-$15
2010 Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc, North Coast:
Of the several grapes that make for welterweight reds, cabernet franc often sports grace notes of herbs and green vegetables, as this does diaphanously. $24
— Bill St. John, special to Tribune Newspapers