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Save $10 on any purchase over $75 at eWineRacks.com - promo code: SW-8937
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Smoking Grilled Pork - Wine Choice 1 cup mayonnaise 3 tbsp. lime juice 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely 1 tsp. chili pepper 8 pork chops In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, except pork chops. Mix well and reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture. Grill or broil chops, turning once and brushing often with 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Chops should take about 12 minutes to cook. Serve with remaining 1/2 of mayonnaise mixture. Serves: 4
Zinfandel.
That was the thought that struck when Karen showed me this recipe. I wanted something red, something that would stand up and take it when the chili, the lime juice and the garlic hit the palate. Yet I did not think a Cabernet Sauvignon would do (too many tannins) and I thought a Pinot Noir would be too light in weight.
I had what promised to be a wonderful Zinfandel (Beaulieu Vineyards Zinfandel Napa Valley), but that wine has rich berry flavors and aromas, soft tannins, lots of fruit. I had something else in mind for that one, though, so I kept looking through the racks.
I found I had a Windsor 2003 Zinfandel, North Coast, Signature Series. Windsor Vineyards was originally started by Rodney Strong as a direct-to-consumer winery (i.e., they sold by mail-order). He later sold to the Klein family, who sold the winery to Australia's Mildara Blass. It is now part of Beringer Blass Wine Estates.
Windsor has a very large list of wines, many of which win awards in large competitions. While I am always a bit skeptical about the medals and ribbons festooned about the necks of wine bottles in tasting rooms, I know I have had a number of Windsor wines through the years and been pleased with them.
So that's my choice, a red Zinfandel described as bursting with blackberry and plum flavor. I have not tasted it yet, and the meal will be the day of the unveiling for me.
An Italian Chianti or a Spanish Rioja might work here, but if that is the choice you make, be careful. The extra layers and finer nuances to be found in a Chianti Reserva or a Rioja Gran Reserva will be lost in the tastes of this meal. Stick to a regular Chianti, or a Rioja Crianza or Reserva. You will save a few dollars, and you may enjoy it more.
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Last modified: August 07, 2007 |
