Usually, in the summer, I like to grill. Scratch that….usually in the summer I like to have my hubby grill. But this past weekend he was knee-deep in a dresser painting project and I had to get creative.
I am a punter. I try to plan meals for the week but, the truth is, I shop generally by what is in season and what is on sale. I have my list of staples and USUALLY have those things in the house. In other words, I cook by mood and what I currently have that needs to get used.
I am also quite frugal, almost to a fault, so most of the wines you see on here will be under $20, even under $10. (I call those Monday wines…more on that later.)
I needed to cook a pork tenderloin so I sliced some peppers, onions, cut some oregano, sage, and rosemary from the garden, and tossed it all in a pan with fingerling potatoes, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Five minutes before it was done, I crumbled goat cheese on top.
Now for the wine. I have learned that when you ship wine, you are supposed to let it sit for two weeks. This can be a challenge for me. I have very few bottles that I have allowed to age. The special occasion wines we order from some of our favorite wineries generally have a better chance because I rarely deem an occasion “worthy.” (See frugal comment above).
We returned home from a trip to Sonoma recently with a few favorites. Although we had only been home 10 days, we had put in a hard day and it was Saturday night, so 2 weeks be damned, I opened a bottle of Tempanillo Rose from Gundlach Bundschu. It is my favorite rose to date. Light enough to drink solo on a hot summer day, but enough backbone to stand some bolder flavors. Dry, yummy, strawberry notes start, but when I paired it with the pork, it developed into a whole different experience. There was a surprising minerality, still light, but not overpowered by the herbs. As I said, it held its own.
Wine-Yummy. Ideal for picnics, light appetizers (prosciutto and melon, goat cheese and crackers) lighter fare.
Pairing Grade-B If buying specifically for the meal, I would have maybe done a Pinot, but for a punt, it did just fine.