Wise home cooks have a pantry of staples. Not endless esoteric ingredients, but a concise collection of essentials that even in the busiest, barest, most anxious of circumstances can be used to construct a quick, satisfying meal. For me, security comes in knowing I have things like eggs, olive oil, garlic, pasta, onions, anchovies, carrots and Parmigiano-Reggiano in my kitchen.

Similarly, wine lovers can know they will drink well if they always have certain fundamental bottles on hand that will complement just about any meal. Such assurance does not require a vast “cellar,” as even the apartment-bound seem to want to call their store of wine. Nor does it mean amassing anything remotely resembling a “collection.” You simply need to have a dozen bottles, well chosen.

How do you put together this indispensable case? Imagine that you were renovating your home from the ground up. You would start with what’s elemental for survival, a bedroom and bathroom.

The bed-and-bath equivalent are two exceptionally versatile wines, a red and a white. They must be able to cozy up to and flatter any number of dishes that are likely to show up on your table. When you have these basics squared away, then it’s time to build out.