Date night at home: five bottles for five kinds of dinner

A good dinner at home does not need a complicated menu. One thoughtful bottle, food you can cook comfortably and enough time to sit down together are a strong start.

These are five different ways to plan the evening. Choose the one that fits your menu, or use the full shopping selection to stock the wine rack for future occasions.

Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve, 750ml

For an evening built around a celebratory opening, choose Champagne. We would set this bottle beside oysters, a small seafood starter or a plate of cheeses. The selection uses a full 750ml bottle, giving you a clear format to plan around.

Louis Latour Meursault

If roast chicken, fish with a buttery sauce or a mushroom dish is the main event, white Burgundy is our direction. Louis Latour's Meursault brings a named Burgundy village to the table without requiring you to cook a restaurant-style menu. Keep the food focused and allow the bottle to be part of the occasion.

Domaine Alain Voge Cornas Les Chailles

For a braise, roast lamb or a dish with a long-cooked sauce, we would choose Les Chailles. Alain Voge identifies this Cornas as Syrah; the shop describes dark fruit, pepper and a silky texture. It is the red-wine option for a dinner with some depth and time behind it.

Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara

For fresh pasta or a relaxed pizza night, try a chilled bottle of this sparkling Sorbara. It is a lighter-budget way to make the evening feel planned. Our listing specifically recommends it with pasta and dishes from Modena, which gives you a simple place to start.

Château Climens Cyprès de Climens, Barsac

If the evening is centered on a fruit tart, cheese or a small dessert course, a sweet Barsac is an option to consider. This selection uses the shop's 750ml Cyprès de Climens listing. Check the format when planning your meal, and choose the individual bottle if dessert is the only part of the evening you are shopping for.

Choose the menu first

Decide what you want to eat, then choose one bottle that makes sense beside it. Open it at the table, give it a little attention and enjoy the dinner you made.

All five options are listed below with current prices and availability. Adding the full selection puts one bottle of each in your cart; you can change the quantities there before checkout.