AMONG WINE NERDS, artichokes get no respect. I can't blame them-the spiky, globelike vegetable is nearly impossible to pair with. Artichokes are packed with a naturally occurring chemical called cynarin that magnifies sweetness. Once it's on your pal-ate, cynarin amplifies the natural sweetness in wines, causing most of them to collapse into flabby, one-dimensional blobs:

Many sommeliers call artichokes their kryptonite. Thankfully; there are superhero wines hiding in plain sight, just waiting to save the day-and the meal. Here are four rules to keep in mind when pairing wine with artichokes.