Do you know of any wine that works with artichokes?  Something bone dry.  As an appetizer, you could serve an ultra-dry sparkling wine.  Of course, what could we do to the artichoke to allow the G-man's Sancerre to work.  If this single thistle is going to throw everything off, then the hell with it. Mind you, I also mentioned asparagus, which ain't too easy to pair wines with either.