Veal Milanese

The dish is delicate — breaded veal in butter with lemon — and the wine must handle light fat and a clean acid finish without overwhelming the meat. Avoid anything tannic or heavily oaked.

Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy Pairs Perfectly. Garganega's gentle orchard fruit and clean mineral acid complement the butter and lemon without competing, and the regional logic is exact — this is the classic northern Italian answer to breaded veal in its home territory.

A dry Grüner Veltliner, for example from Kamptal or Kremstal, Austria Pairs Well. The white pepper note and lime-grapefruit acidity cut through the butter cleanly, and the lighter dry style matches the delicacy of the dish without any risk of overpowering it.

Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy Pairs Well. A step up from generic Pinot Grigio — Alto Adige gives genuine mineral lift and a clean citrus edge that sits well alongside lemon and butter, keeping the focus on the meat.

Avoid

Tannic reds of any weight, heavily oaked whites, anything with residual sweetness.

Failing That

A Vermentino, Sardinia, Italy.

If All Else Fails

A Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, France.

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