Beef with red, chicken with white. That's the standard by which many food and wine pairing are made. Does it always have to be so? Jason Moore, who is the managing partner of Modus Operandi Cellars in St. Helena, California came by Tonia's Kitchen with some thoughts on how to pair the two. He admits to Tonia he's a traditionalist when it comes to beef and chicken and red and white wines, but sometimes it all depends on the sauce that's coming with the dish. If the chicken is a thick, dark sauce, a red might just be order. Same thing with a beef dish that offer a lighter sauce. He notes filet mignon with champagne is one of the finest things ever! When he's not making wine, Jason is busy cooking. He loves making what he calls Tuscan Sun Butter, which is basically tomato paste mixed with room temperature butter. He says it great on a hearty slice of sourdough. A true taste of Napa, wherever you are!
- 1 cup butter unsalted
- 4 sun dried tomatoes finely chopped
- 1/4 cup parmesan freshly grated
- 2 tbsp fresh Basil chopped
- 1 lg clove garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Using a hand mixer, whip butter in a large bowl until it has a fluffy consistency Combine the remaining ingredients and fold into the butter. Transfer to a small bowl and serve.
Technical Data:
Modus Operandi Cellars
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Harvest Date: 10-7-19 thru 10-28-19
Brix at Harvest: 24 – 26.5
Vineyard: Blended
Appellation: Napa Valley
8 Barrels Produced
Composition / Aging:
• Blend
o 82% Cabernet Sauvignon
▪ Edcora Vineyard
▪ Farella Vineyard
▪ Sage Ridge Vineyard
o 18% Merlot
▪ Boyd Vineyard
• Aging
o 50% new French oak barrel fermented
o 85% new French oak barrel aged
94 Points – Wine Advocate
Tasting Notes: Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon leaps with bold notes of crushed black and red currants, boysenberries and pencil shavings plus hints of black olives and spice box. Full, rich and opulent in the mouth, it has achingly plush tannins and a long spicy finish.
