Simple Pleasures

Last week I turned 31. Not a number that conjures up grand parties or great reflection, but for me it was a day of simple pleasures and lead to a wine discovery this week. On January 21st, I was invited to see the Golden State Warriors with three good friends. I am an avid Warrior fan, and the chance to sit two rows off the floor on my birthday was not something I could pass up.

The four of us met up in the parking lot pre-game for a little wine geek tailgate: A bottle of Bollinger Champagne and a bottle of Italian rosé that I cannot remember at the moment. This is the way everyone should do the pre-game. Before we went into the arena JD, one of my pals and owner of a very small wine importer/distributor gave me a bottle of Catina Tollo Pecorino (no it is not bottled cheese). I put the bottle in my trunk and off to the game we went. The Warriors lost by one point with one second left, tough loss.

Fast forward to this past Wednesday night. On a very rainy night I decided I wanted to have a quick, easy and healthy meal and — above all — that I really needed a glass of wine. One of the easiest meals I've found is broiled salmon. It takes all of 10 minutes from start to finish and is really good. I picked up a fillet of wild Coho Salmon, a pomelo, and some kale:

• Sautée the kale in a bit of olive oil and veggie stock and let that cook until it is tender but not mushy.
• Rub the salmon fillet with cracked pepper, sea salt and a little olive oil.
• Broil (in broiling pan) for about 5 minutes
  
• Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of pomelo zest onto the fish and let it finish.

I like my salmon medium rare so it is a bit pink in the middle. Once I bring the salmon out and plate it, I squeeze a little Pomelo juice on it and I eat!

Now that the stage is properly set, here is the discovery from my 31^st birthday! As I check out the wine in my fridge — I wanted something yummy — and saw the Pecorino (again, not the cheese). I had tasted it before, liked and thought it would compliment the Pomelo aspect of the dish. I opened the bottle and poured a glass for my wife and myself.

This wine is golden in color and a tad viscous. At first the wine was too cold (something to watch for in white wines. When a wine is too cold the aromatic and flavors can be subdued until the wine reaches the proper temperature) so I just swirled it around to try to warm it up a bit. After a few bites of my dinner, which was quite tasty, the wine started to show. Shauna was the first to comment on it. She looked up at me and said, “Wow, this wine is really pretty.” I took a whiff, a sip, sat back and let my troubles slip away as tropical aromas, citrus aromas, orange blossom and wild herbs enveloped me.

This was not only a great wine but also a pairing between food and wine that make the proverbial light bulb explode. As we progressed through dinner we just kept shaking our heads at how great the wine was and how happily our day was coming to a close. Though it was cold, dark and rainy that night in our very small apartment, our simple dinner was brightened by an amazing wine.

Here are the details on the wine itself. It is produced by Catina Tollo, a cooperative in Abruzzo. The co-op is a small band of family vineyards that has been producing wines for a little more than 40 years. I do not know much about the grape itself (except that it is awesome). It comes from an obscure IGT called Terre di Chieti and is grown 130 meters above sea level and is planted on a mix of limestone and clay. The wine is cold soaked, which can add a bit of color and texture to the wine. Try to find some if you can. There is not much here in SF at the moment but I placed a 200 case order for my stores and it will be here in April and retail for $14.99. I can't wait!

Comments

[marshall]

yummm...can't wait to try the Pecorino. Happy belated bday!

[Amberly]

Oh, your dinner sounds so delightful!! I'm in my kitchen wondering what David and I should have for dinner, and I want THAT!