This is the perfect time of year to pair your favorite wine with fresh produce from the farmer’s market. This week, Nat has a suggestion for a vegetarian-friendly dish that will play very nicely with the Calcu Rose Reserva:

“Because this is a refined and elegant Chilean Rose with wild berries and lemon blossoms on the nose followed by crisp, vibrant, fresh notes on the palate, it works very well when paired with vegetable dishes such as risotto or rice.

Primarily Malbec with 35% Syrah and just 10% Petit Verdot (this last grape being the one that gives the wine its crisp dryness), this Rose would also be delightful with a potato salad made of tiny fingerling potatoes (very Chilean!), along with cilantro, onions, garlic, celery, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. You can also further integrate the Calcu by dressing the salad with a simple homemade mayo made of whipped olive oil, a bit of egg, salt, pepper, and a few drops of Rose!”

Rose and farmers' market fresh salad make for a light dinner that pleases your palate AND your budget!

Vina Maquis Calcu Rose, Colchagua Valley, Chile

If you have a wine or a dish that you want to try (or if you just want to learn more about pairing), please let us know in the comments — we would love to help you out!

Back on New Year’s Eve, my wife and I had a little soiree at our place. A few of my fellow CorkDorks came over, and one of them brought a bottle of Zenato’s “Ripassa”. It’s a Valpolicella Ripasso, made from the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes up in northeastern Italy. And so now a few weeks later, as I watch the 49ers and Giants face off in the NFC Championship Game, I’ve decided to crack open this bottle.

Meaning “repassed”, Valpolicella Ripasso wines are passed over the leftover dried grape skins and seeds from Amarones for extended maceration. This makes the wine richer and more flavorful while also making it a little more fuller-bodied than it normally would be. These wines are often referred to as “Baby Amarones.”

This particular ripasso pours a dark crimson color with an inky, black core. On the nose there’s a touch of tobacco leaf, green tea, stewed black cherries and barbecued meats. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, and ripe cherry jumps out in front. The tannins coat the palate fully on the finish, letting you know this wine is made for food. A tart cranberry note lingers on the lengthy finish, along with a hint of cocoa powder.

This isn’t one of those wines where you just pop the cork, pour it and drink it. It demands cuisine, and the beef and ground bison pasta I had with it paired beautifully. Now I’ll admit I’m a little biased — a confessed lover of all things Italian — but I’d rate this wine a solid 91 points. Throw some rich food in the mix, and it jumps up to a 93.

Tell us about your favorite wine pairing…