14 Mar Burger & pizza red – Old Vine Red Lot 74
It’s one of the most basic (and important) rules
regarding the pairing of wine & food.
While it seems incredibly obvious,
nonetheless it’s worth repeating.
For any food & wine pairing to work,
you have to like the wine.
Foodies and wine experts go to great lengths
in achieve a delicate balance…finding just the right
red or white to compliment the main course.
Those efforts are appreciated.
But their suggested marriage will wind up in divorce
if it’s one-sided.
For example, consider Chenin Blanc and oysters.
It’s regarded as a classic food & wine match.
But for someone who doesn’t like Chenin Blanc,
classic or not, it’s a flop.
It’s Wine Thursday!
when we check out a good wine
that sells at a reasonable price and is
easy to find at retail and online.
The red we’re featuring checks
a couple of important food & wine boxes…
it’s easy to pair and easy to drink.
Where it’s from
Geyserville is short on population but long on wine.
In and around this tiny Sonoma County town…
population just shy of 700…
a number of prominent wineries have set up shop.
That includes Marietta Cellars, credited with pioneering
the California red blend a couple of decades ago.
What it is
Released in lot numbers instead of vintages,
Marietta’s Old Vine Red is typically a mix of Zinfandel, Syrah,
Petite Sirah and other grapes. For the latest version, Lot 74,
Grenache and Barbera also made the cut.
This is an uncomplicated easy-to-like wine…
bold but not overpowering.
It’s not as jammy as you’d expect from a Zin-based blend.
Ripe fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherry are prominent.
The beauty of this wine lies in its versatility.
It’s a weeknight wine that’s ideal for weeknight fare.
It works with burgers, pizza, pasta with red sauce, tacos
casseroles as well as roasted vegetables.
Where to buy it
Marietta’s Old Vine Red Lot 74 is at Total Wine for $14.49.
The price at Fred Meyer and Ralphs is $16.99.
QFC and Albertsons has it for $17.99.
Safeway’s price is $18.99.
You can order it from Garnet Wines for $12.59
Vine Republic has it for $13.98
Stirling Fine Wine’s price is $13.99
https://www.stirlingfinewine.com
It sells for the same price at Luekens, $13.99
https://www.luekensliquors.com
and it’s $14.99 at K & L