Takeout, Elevated

Summertime doesn't lend itself to toiling over a hot stove. So take takeout up a level: Enjoy it with an appropriately paired wine.

Forget Styrofoam containers or rumpled brown bags. If your to-go meal is accompanied by the right wine, it'll taste like you're eating it from atop a white tablecloth.

When matching foods with wine, Molly Morris of Tutto Vino in Dublin suggests selecting a bottle that has a similar, complementary flavor profile, but with an edge that can cut through-but not overwhelm-the food's flavors.

Easy to explain, but not so easy to execute. Especially with sometimes-tricky dishes like sushi and pad Thai.

So Morris got us started with suggestions for what you'll want to have on hand for all of your summertime takeout meals.

With sushi:

Bio-Weingut H.U. M. Hofer Gruner Veltliner (2007)

Region:Niederosterreich, Austria

Cost:$12

Flavors:mineral and acidic, with a slight tropical fruit taste

Also pairs well with:Any fish dishes, especially tuna

Molly Morris' advice:"You want a wine that is high in acid, with some fruitiness, but with no oak, and no butter. This wine like the perfect accessory - it goes with nearly everything and after one sip, you're hooked."

With barbeque:

Carol Shelton Wild Thing Zinfandel (2005)

Region: Mendocino, California

Cost: $30

Flavors: bold and spicy, with the jammy-ness of black raspberry

Also pairs well with: tomato sauces, game and duck

Molly Morris' advice: "You've got to pick a wine that's going to stand up to those BBQ flavors without overwhelming them. Carol Shelton has the prestigious honor of being the most awarded winemaker in America, and makes almost exclusively zinfandel."

With pad Thai:

Il Follo Cuvee Rustot Brut

Region: Italy

Cost: $13

Flavors: crisp lemon and apple flavors, lots of acidity and bubbles

Also pairs well with: as an aperitif or with stuffed mushrooms or creamy sauce dishes

Molly Morris' advice: "You've got both sweetness and spice from the Pad Thai sauce, so you need a wine that will stand up to the all the flavors and textures. Prosecco will refresh your palate after the spice, and encourage you to keep going back for more."