As an inveterate fan of this dish, I’ve sampled versions in four countries, but the basic ingredients remain throughout: Arborio rice, broth, the best cheese, hints of garlic and herbs, and some form of wine. From there, each chef can add subtle hints to bring this delight to the table, and these hints may yield a signature dish, but few risotto preparations would be a disappointment.

A greater challenge, perhaps, is finding the right wine to pour. Two rules of wine-food pairing apply here: Drink the cuisine, and pour into the glass what you pour into the dish.

The cuisine is clearly Italian, so an Italian wine seems appropriate. My own recipe calls for Marsala, a fragrant and lightly sweet wine from Sicily that marries well with the chicken broth and accents of the dish. It’s also Italian, so I could serve Marsala and would be very satisfied, but there’s a better idea.

Sherry, not the kind your old Aunt Mildred drinks, but a traditional sherry from Spain, is a perfect partner for risotto. Fine sherry is made in the solera system in which young wines are drawn from casks and blended into casks of older wines, a method to achieve complexity but maintain a house style and consistency. The principal types of sherry include fino, oloroso, amontillado, and manzanilla, each with unique characteristics and flavors.

The sherries of Gonzalez Byass are truly remarkable and perform perfectly alongside a plate of risotto. Try any of the following:

Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fino Muy Seco Palomino Fino ($18)
Gonzalez Byass Alfonso Oloroso Seco Palomino ($20)
Gonzalez Byass Cristina Oloroso Abocado Palomino ($20)
Gonzalez Byass Nectar Pedro Ximenez Dulce ($20)
Gonzalez Byass Vina AB Amontillado Seco Palomino ($20)
Gonzalez Byass Solera 1847 Oloroso ($20)
Gonzalez Byass Apostoles Palo Cortgado Viejo 30 ($49)
Gonzalez Byass del Duque Amontillado Muy Viejo 30 ($49)
Gonzalez Byass Matusalem Oloroso Dulce Viejo 30 ($49)

Trey Christy remarked that Sherry is under-appreciated. Its production is labor-intensive and time-consuming, yet bottles are passed to the consumer at very modest prices. Sherry is offered in a number of styles, and Trey recommended the Lustau Almacenista Amontillado Fino de Jerez 1/47 Florido as an aperitif to accompany stews and soups, or other appetizers rich in garlic and herbs. Hard cheeses and cured meats pair exceptionally well to the high acidity in Amontillado Sherry, which offers complex and fully ripe aromas of hazelnut and coffee.

Lustau Amontillado Fino Label