With so many appellations, styles, and varietals, Robert Taylor knows that Italian wine poses a challenge to even ardent enthusiasts. “I want to make it accessible,’’ says the wine director of Benedetto in Harvard Square, and does so by conversing with guests about pours drawn from a 250-bottle list. One of those selections is a 2016 Cà dei Frati “I Frati’’ Lugana ($12 a glass, $48 a bottle). Turbiana, the grape from which it’s made, is genetically identical to verdicchio, but it expresses unique characteristics when grown on the southern shores of Lake Garda, near Verona. “It’s a dead ringer for very good Chablis,’’ says the somm, referring to its saline minerality and citrus. He recommends the white with chef-owner Michael Pagliarini’s spicy grilled octopus, plated with early spring vegetables, charred sweet onions, and a mayonnaise that tastes of the sea. Taylor says the wine’s “reductive smokiness’’ echoes the char on the onions and the octopus, further enhancing the pairing’s synergy. “The wine and the dish are like peas in a pod without anything needing to be compromised,’’ he enthuses.

Benedetto, in the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Cambridge, 617-661-5050, www.benedettocambridge.com

ELLEN BHANG