When we decide to spend a day all together as a family, a question often arises: what shall we drink? For family lunches and dinners, there is no need to impress with ostentatious labels. On the contrary, we can enjoy a wine that is both cosy and gastronomic, and that pairs well with home cooking. Starters deserve a young, fruity white wine, which pairs well with seafood salads, canapés, pies and tartlets; a Vermentino or a Sauvignon might well be the right choice. The same white wine could also accompany vegetable- or fish-based first courses and risottos. 

If, on the other hand, the first course has a meat sauce, the choice will fall on a medium-bodied red wine: a vintage Chianti Classico, a Bolgheri Rosso, a Dolcetto, a Barbera, which will also pair well with a simple main course, such as a cutlet. If the main course is a roast or a stew, a more structured red would be preferable, chosen from among the many traditional Italian designations. And if the main course is fish, why not try a soft white wine such as a Chardonnay or one of Friuli's broad-shouldered whites?