I never miss an opportunity to taste a local wine. Here in Italy, where my wife and I are on a long cruise, there are local wines galore. Historically, wines were consumed locally as well as being grown locally. That they complemented local food dishes is not a coincidence. Albarino on Spain's north coast match the local seafood while Burgundy's elegant pinot noirs marry well with Dijon's rabbit stews or rich cassoulets. Generations have enjoyed Alsace's pinot blancs and rieslings with the region's famous daubes. Go there and you'll see why.

While I was in Italy's Porto Venere, just outside Cinque Terra, I found a wine and purchased one of the region's famous blends of vermentino, bosco and arbolla. Acidic, fresh and pure it was delightful. This region doesn't even try to make red wines -- unlike Alsace that uselessly struggles with its pedestrian pinot noir.