Not Just Any Blend
The world of wine is changing and like everything else, we enjoy wine trends. I’ve recently noticed that blends are becoming more popular. There are different reasons. For one, they can be more cost effective to produce than varietals – something the industry is thinking about these days.

But the main reason is how winemakers have really turned blending into an art.

With the cool weather and the holidays approaching, we’ve begun bringing out the reds we’ve been saving all summer, to enjoy with our autumn meals. Some of our favorites are blends.

A Meritage is a blend of at least two traditional Bordeaux grape varieties. No single variety can make up more than 90% of the blend. The wine must be produced and bottled by a U.S. winery from grapes that carry a U.S. appellation. The word is trademarked and wineries pay a fee to use it. Also, a Meritage release cannot be mass marketed – it must be under 25,000 cases.

Last year, Sunset Magazine had an article on perfect wine pairings. One of the pairings was a grilled Teriyaki Tri-Tip with a Hahn 2007 Meritage. What’s not to like about steak and red wine?

The reason this pairing works is the blend – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec – traditional Bordeaux grapes that are dark and full-flavored which are great with heavily marbled, hearty cuts of meat.

The tri-tip is marinaded in soy sauce which adds salt and the charring from the grill adds a sweet, smokey flavor – both which enhance the flavors of the wine.

Hahn 2007 Meritage
Dark purple color. Aromas of black cherry, currant and blueberry with hints of oak and vanilla. Full bodied and good balance with flavors of black  cherry and plum with hints of chocolate and tobacco. Open bottle at least 45 minutes before serving. $11.95 from Napa Cabs.

Recipe: Teriyaki Tri-Tip

Prep and cook time: about 30 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Marinate tri-tip for at least 2 hours. For the most flavor, marinate  overnight.
Ingredients
• 1  cup  soy sauce
• 1  cup  washed raw cane sugar or 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4  cup  thinly sliced onion
• 1/2  cup  sake
• 1/2  cup  mirin (sweet sake; or 1/2 cup additional regular sake plus 1 teaspoon sugar)
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 1  tablespoon  thinly sliced fresh ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  coarse-ground pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  dry mustard
• 1  beef tri-tip (1 1/2 to 2 lb.), fat trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
Preparation
1. In a one gallon zip-lock plastic bag, pour in soy sauce, sugar, onion, sake, mirin, garlic, ginger, pepper, and mustard. Hold bag closed and shake until sugar is dissolved. Add beef; seal bag. Chill at least two hours or up to 1 day, turning occasionally.

2. Lay tri-tip on a lightly oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds); close lid on gas grill (discard marinade).

Cook, turning every 5 minutes, until rare in center of thickest part (cut to test; 125° to 130° on a thermometer), about 25 minutes, or until as done as you like.

3. Transfer tri-tip to a cutting board. Let rest about 5 minutes, then cut across the grain into thin, slanting slices.

Wine & Chocolate
Wine and chocolate pairing has become popular – especially for Valentine’s Day. Many wineries will serve truffles from local chocolatiers that seem to match up perfectly with their port or late-harvest zinfandel or merlot. Restaurants and wine bars across the country have begun special wine and chocolate tastings. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have an upscale wine and chocolate experience.

Here in San Diego, the Hotel Del has an Eno wine bar – an upscale wine tasting room that offers affordable wine flights, as well as wines by the glass. They also have a ‘cheese and chocolate sensations’ menu. A great way to sample artisan cheeses and gourmet truffles from local chocolatiers to go with the wine.

For those of us want to have the ‘wine and chocolate experience’ at home, make a night of it with different truffles and a couple of different wines to taste.

If you don’t have a chocolatier nearby, you can order truffles online. Belgian chocolate is at the top of my list of favorites. Years ago I was in Belgium and bought my mom a pound of chocolates. Alas, she didn’t have the opportunity to taste them. I ate them all on the flight home.

With the internet, you don’t have to go to Belgium to enjoy their chocolates. You can order them online. Leonidas Belgian Chocolates are great, not only for special occasions but for wine pairings as well.

A few guidelines for your own pairings:
Wine should generally be as sweet or sweeter than the dessert.

Match elements in the wine and the chocolate, such as nuttiness or fruitiness.

Match lighter flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines and stronger flavored chocolates with more full-bodied the wines. For example, a bittersweet chocolate pairs well with an intense California zinfandel.

As in any tasting, if you’re trying several varieties of chocolate, work from light to dark. Start with white chocolate and end with dark or bittersweet chocolate.

Pairing Suggestions:
White Chocolate
White chocolate is buttery in flavor, and has no tannins from chocolate. This makes a good pairing with Sherry, a Moscato d’Asti, or an Orange Muscat. The Sherry and Moscato d’Asti will pick up the creaminess of the chocolates and the Orange Muscat will pick up any fruit tones present.

Milk Chocolate
A wine with low tannins, such as a Pinot Noir or a light-bodied Merlot will complement milk chocolate, a creamy chocolate mousse or chocolate accented cheesecake. Muscats or dessert wines usually work well with milk chocolates.

Dark Chocolate
Because of the high tannins in dark or bittersweet chocolates, ports, zinfandels, and some cabernet sauvignons are a good match for the darker chocolates. I find the higher the cocoa content, the more difficult it is to match the chocolate with wine – even a good port. Anything over 65% cocoa will be too bitter.

Valentines Day is a great excuse to buy some decadent chocolates, a few bottles of wine, and an evening to find your own favorite pairings.