Meet your match with wine expert MermaidMary!

Start your Italian meal with chilled prosecco, finish with limoncello and be sure to surround yourself with family and friends! For the main event, pair your meal with my top three red wine picks:

Under $20

A touch of New Zealand in Italy! JK.14 is All Black legend John Kirwan’s wine label. John’s wife Fiorella hails from Vento, in northwest Italy, as does the JK.14 range. Nonna Mario, a delicious Carménère, is floral yet fruity with flavours of black fruit and pepper that makes it magical with food. ($18 – jk14.com)

Midrange

From Tuscany, chianti is as important to Italian cuisine as olive oil and goes beautifully with the luscious red sauces ubiquitous in Italy. This Rocca delle Macie, Chianti Classico is fullbodied, with flavours of wild berries and oak. ($28 – widely available)

Splash out

Italy’s most planted grape, sangiovese dates back over 3000 years. Heron’s Flight in Matakana’s Reserve Sangiovese is deep in colour with intense flavours of forest fruits and a silky texture. A special wine. ($60 – Great Little Vineyards or heronsflight.co.nz)

Tune in to hear more from MermaidMary each Friday, when she joins our Green Goddess Wendyl Nissen on RadioLIVE’s The Long Lunch show.