what to serve

Choosing wines for a menu can seem like a daunting task, but a good strategy is to look to the recipes for inspiration. In the mushroom soup instructions, the suggestion to use sherry to finish the soup is a golden opportunity to serve the same sherry as the wine pairing for this course. The Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Dry Sherry (LCBO 375097, $16.40) is a perfect choice. It’s extra-dry and nutty, with dried fruit notes that will enhance the rich flavour of the soup. In the description of the roasted salmon dish, we learn that it is a classic dish of Spain’s Catalonia region. The René Barbier

Mediterranean White (LCBO 332767, $9.95) is a crisp white from the same region. To round out the wine selection, the Codorníu Seleccion Raventos Rose (LCBO 370080, $16.30) is a sparkling rosé from Catalonia that would be a fine accompaniment for the menu from start to finish.