The wine panel debated this month's pairing entree: Would it be a rustic Beef Stew in Red Wine With Onions and Mushrooms, or the classic Beef Bourguignon that Julia Child translated for the American kitchen?

Actually, the two are the same dish. Julia simplified the technique somewhat for the stew recipe in the '90s. But each name conveys a slightly different image. If you want an earthy, peasant-style dish for a casual family gathering or pumpkin-carving party, call it beef stew. If you want a traditional French dish for a stylish dinner party, call it Beef Bourguignon.

Despite its peasant roots, Beef Bourguignon is more bistro staple than poor man's supper. Made with inexpensive, fat-ribboned beef, such as chuck roast, it originated as a stunning makeover of a lesser cut of meat. But a dish this good has upward mobility. This soul-satisfying stew is an international crowd-pleaser and ideal for entertaining.

For this tasting mission, we sampled 14 red wines that cost less than $20. We made the stew a day in advance to further develop the flavors. We invited two guest panelists: Barbara Werley, a master sommelier and wine director at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, and Hunter Hammett, sommelier at Pyramid Restaurant at The Fairmont Dallas.

We thought this would be one of our easier pairing exercises, but it wasn't. The combination of flavors in this slow-simmered stew calls for a fruity wine with an earthy quality and some complexity.

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Panelists James Tidwell (left) and Hunter Hammett try to find perfect matches for Beef Bourguignon.

After tasting all 14 wines with the stew, five winning matches emerged. We passed on some excellent wines that weren't as much failures as near-hits. Like interlocking puzzle pieces, a good wine pairing is a cozy fit, not a forced one. If you're going to the trouble of cooking for hours and marrying the flavors overnight, you want a wine that enhances your culinary achievement. Too bold or tannic, and the wine can overwhelm the stew; too light or uncomplicated, and the wine falls flat.

None of the four French wines sampled turned up winners; but there are surely some fine French matches out there. In addition to a malbec, four obscure varietals came out on top: two from Italy, one from Greece and, most surprisingly, a California cunoise (a rare Rhone grape). Read on to discover our five picks, as well as tips on preparing Beef Stew in Red Wine With Onions and Mushrooms – or Beef Bourguignon, it's your call.

Tina Danze is a Dallas freelance writer.

THE MISSION: Find wines that cost less than $20 to pair with Beef Stew in Red Wine With Onions and Mushrooms.

THE FOOD: Beef Bourguignon (the French name for the stew described above), served with a side of garlic mashed potatoes.

THE TASTERS:

•Hunter Hammett, sommelier, Pyramid Restaurant at The Fairmont Dallas.

•George Howald, Serendipity Wine Imports

•James Tidwell, master sommelier and certified wine educator, Cafe on the Green, the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Las Colinas

•Barbara Werley, master sommelier; wine director, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse

•Cathy Barber, Taste editor

•Tina Danze, freelance writer

2004 Lungarotti Rubesco, Italy

($13.89; Jimmy's Food Store; Goody Goody (upper Greenville and Oak Lawn locations); Farpointe Cellars; PK's; Colony Liquors; and The Wine Market and More)

Elegant yet earthy, this wine came in a close second for our panel pick. "It's an approachable wine," said Hammett. "It's delicious with a bite of the onion and mushroom, and it rounds out nicely on the finish." Tidwell liked the wine's complexity, which meshed well with that of the stew. "It has an earthiness and a fruitiness which complements the dish without overwhelming it," he said. Both Werley and Howald hailed it as a versatile, solid food wine.

2006 Naoussa Boutari, Greece

($11.99 -$15.99; Central Market; Big Daddy's on Northwest Highway; Centennial on Lovers Lane; select Goody Goody stores; Farpointe Cellar in Southlake; and Kegs & Barrels in Plano)

This medium-bodied Greek wine worked very well with the dish. Tidwell liked the wine's "cooked, dried-fruit quality" and acidity. "It's got some of the same characteristics as the Salice, but it's more acidic." Werley liked the wine's soft tannins and good berry fruit, which meshed with the dish. Uncork this wine a couple of hours before serving to allow it to open up a bit; or you could aerate it quickly by pouring it back and forth between pitchers.

2004 Taurino Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva, Italy

($14.99; Sigel's; Central Market; Market Street; Jimmy's; Centennial on Preston Road and in Addison; Big Daddy's on W. Northwest Highway; Mr. G's; and Eatzi's)

Although not a wine that panelists would uncork for sipping solo, this lesser-known varietal turned out to be the best match for the stew. Barbara Werley said that Southern Italian wines such as this one are made for food like this – comfort-food dishes that have complexity. "This wine becomes bright on the mid-palate. Its earthiness gives way to fabulous fruit," said Werley. "I wouldn't serve it as an aperitif, but with the meal, it's perfect." James Tidwell identified a "mushroom earthiness" in the wine that he found compatible with the dish. "I'm not sure it's a wine people would like on its own, but philosophically, it goes with the dish."

($19.99, but sometimes sale priced around $12 at Tom Thumb Supermarkets)

Big and juicy, this wine had a bolder style than the others selected. "It's got oomph," said Tidwell. George Howald called it "more of a crowd-pleaser than a classic match, with nice mouth-weight and substance." Although Hunter Hammett found the alcohol a little distracting, Werley pointed out that this wine represents "a nice, fruity New World option that works."

($13.99 Sigel's)

This rare, Rhone-style varietal surprised the panel as an approachable, easy-drinking wine that showed a very berry character with the dish. "It's got the lure of earthiness, but a fresh, clean style," said Hammett. "It's a balanced wine that's not overtly assertive." Werley added: "It's not overly tannic or high in alcohol, but it's got enough acidity to round out everything in the dish." A fun wine match, it's an exotic grape but a familiar style of wine. Howald also liked the pairing, and found it a fun opportunity to explore a new varietal.

Which wine did we cook with?

2008 Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir, California

($14.99; Central Market in Dallas and in Plano; Beverage City; Market Street in Plano; Mr. G's; and Whole Foods in Lakewood)

We've heard complaints of Beef Bourguignon that tastes too winey – a result of cooking with overly assertive or tannic wines, or just too much wine.

Our goal was to find a fruity, medium-body wine, such as this domestic pinot noir. To keep the wine from dominating the dish, we supplemented it with canned beef broth, adding just enough to cover the beef.

You can certainly have a terrific stew cooking with any number of wines. Julia Child recommends a zinfandel, and many recipes call for a burgundy. But bear in mind that our wine matches were tailored to the dish we tasted, which was made with a fruity, medium-body California pinot noir. Feel free to experiment.