stuffed peppers

[Randy Caparoso]

Hi, Nancy. Curmudgeon is on the mark. Besides fatty, I also suspect the Italian sausage is a little fennel-y; and no matter how little you use, that and the taste of the bellpepper itself are dominant. So you need a decently acidic Chianti Classico, which often have fennel-like, peppery, woodsy nuances to go with their subtle cherry-like fruit. Also consider a Carmignano or California style Sangiovese -- which, although rounder than Chianti, still have the acidity intrinsic in the grape.

Mustard is an earth tone in food (usuall calling for earth tone wines), but the sweet-sour-hot thing you have going with a chicken changes the complexion. If anything, choose a wine with moderate alcohol and tannin, which tend to fight heat (alcohol) and offer jarring contrast to the sweetness (drying tannin). So if it's red, choose something fairly soft and fruity (low to medium priced Pinot Noir); although white off-dry wine is probably a little more ideal (slaty/minerally Rheinpfalz Kabinett or halbtrocken, or slightly flinty Vouvray such as Champalou's). Also consider one of the dryer, but still a trace sweet, White Zins (such as De Loach or Santino); but if you really want to be a wine sleuth, locate Callaghan's Dry Riesling (super exotic fragrance and breath earth tones) from Sonoita Arizona!