2020 Lavender Ridge Vineyard Syrah and Mongolian Beef
The Winery
Picture from Lavender Ridge Vineyard Facebook
Lavender Ridge Vineyard tasting room is in the town of Murphys in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills. Lavender Ridge specializes in Rhone varietal wines. They include Cotes du Calaveras Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Rolle, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Grenache, Cotes du Calaveras, Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Vin Doux and Anniversaire Blanc. They also feature an artisan cheese selection that is unique and has something for just about everyone.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
To read more about Lavender Ridge, see three previous articles:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I purchased this wine two years ago and laid it down in the cellar. Knowing the meal, I thought this would go well with it. Sierra foothills Syrah tend to be intense with bold flavors from granite-based soils and a warm climate. This met and exceeded those expectations with dark fruits of blackberry, plum and spicy notes of pepper and clove. Earthy notes of smoke and minerality were exceptional. On the nose, floral violet aromas and the finish being full-bodied and soft caressing tannins.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with another wintertime comfort food, Mongolian Beef. A delicious recipe taking flank steak, canola oil, dry sherry wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, water, baking soda, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions and Flatiron Pepper Company’s Dark & Smoky peppers. They included Chipotle, Ancho and Habanero peppers. This provided a tasty sweet and spicy dish. Accompanied by brown rice.
This recipe is now both of our favorite with the texture and flavors.
The wine was perfectly suited for the meal with its dryness and fruit providing a beautiful backdrop to each morsel.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com