Here at the Paso Robles CAB Collective we believe that nothing pairs better with great wine, than great food. This is especially true during the holiday season, which is why we asked a few of our members to let us in on some of their family traditions. Keep reading to see what they had to say!
Joyce Murray from Bon Niche:
A great Murray family tradition is gathering for New Year’s Eve. Five couples travel across the U.S. for four dazzling days of cooking, laughing and sipping wine. Oh, and the guys create the menus, go shopping and do all the cooking!
Frequently we’ve paired our Bon Niche Cellars Chemin/Path Bordeaux style blend with succulent garlic and rosemary crusted Rack of Lamb. The firm tannins in the wine bring out the flavors in the meat, and the fat mellows the astringent side releasing the beautiful flavors of the fruit. As an alternative Bon Niche Cellars L’entrée Malbec is an excellent pairing with the lamb, and with Wally’s New Year’s Day “Football Chili”.
Jim M
adsen from The Farm Winery shared a recipe that his family pairs with The Farm Winery Cardinal:
Ingredients:
One rack of lamb
Fresh rosemary – two teaspoons
Fresh garlic – 12 cloves
Peppercorns – 1/2 tsp
Juice from one medium lemon
Olive Oil
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Remove some of the fat from the lamb (not all)
- Grind the rosemary, garlic and peppercorns, and add olive oil to make a thick paste.
- Rinse and pat dry the lamb then spread the olive oil paste all over – let it sit out for about 25 minutes on the counter
- Just before putting the lamb in, add the fresh lemon juice and salt the lamb
- Cook for 35 mins for rare
- After removing it from the oven, let the lamb sit for five minutes where it will continue cooking
