Spring is here and I have another great food and wine pairing for your spring enjoyment! I love drinking crisp white wines and roses in the spring, not because these wines are only to be enjoyed in spring, but rather because they pair so well with spring cuisine. However, do not neglect your reds! Here is a great red wine and food pairing light enough for spring!

The wine:

Anaba Turbine 2013 Red Rhône Blend: Crafted of 42% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 28% Syrah; deep ruby in the glass; ripe black berries, black cherries, and currants are wrapped in smoky bacon notes, licorice, spice, black pepper, and dusty earth; much more earthy than fruity, big and bold with rich flavors, round acidity with well integrated tannins, full body, mouth-coating with a long, bold finish;SRP $28. Order direct from Anaba Wines.

The food pairing: GSMs are very versatile wines. They can be crafted to taste bold and brooding or lighter in style. Anaba’s Turbine Red claimed to portray black fruits with smoky notes. Hhhmmm….perhaps its time to for barbeque. I love the idea of this because first of all I really enjoy a good Rhône blend, white or red; and because I have been traveling so much I have barely used the grill this spring. The time has arrived! But what to make?

My choice: I decided for a casual Friday night quasi barbeque. My husband loves pizza, and he loves bbq chicken pizza. So I decided to grill us some bbq chicken pizzas. I don’t really have a recipe because it is too easy to need one. Nan bread, favorite bbq sauce, rotisserie chicken, purple onions, fresh mozzarella, and avocado. Brush nan with evoo on both sides and give a quick grill till crisp. Top with bbq sauce, chicken lightly tossed in more bbq sauce, chopped onions, and cheese. Throw back on grill (not on direct heat) and cook till cheese begins to melt. Top with avocado and continue to heat a few more minutes. Voila! Quick and easy pizzas that are delicious! If you prefer different ingredients use them. Next time I will add a bit of cilantro.

The results: A delicious dinner that is as good or better than take out with almost no clean up; perfect for a Friday night! We enjoyed our pizzas and wine al fresco in our back yard for a delicious and enjoyable evening! I was a big fan of the Anaba Turbine Red blend; I would love to try more of their wines!

Anaba…elegant, classic wines borne by the wind.

– John Sweazey Proprietor

About Anaba Wines:

Our name originates from cool, upward-flowing anabatic winds that soar and swirl through our sustainably-farmed Carneros Estate vineyards.

Gifts of nature, these unique air currents enhance the quality of our vineyards making them more temperate, slowing down the ripening process, and allowing the grapes to develop more robust flavors and distinctive varietal characteristics.

In 2009, Anaba Wines became the first winery in Northern California to utilize wind power when owner, John Sweazey installed a 45-foot Skystream 3.7 wind turbine on the property to harness the anabatic winds. This single wind turbine generates electricity for Anaba’s tasting room, wine storage, office operations and irrigation pumps for the two estate vineyards.

As of April 2015, our wind turbine will help to power our electric car charging station. We added a Clipper Creek universal electric car charger which is available to guests visiting the tasting room. Anaba is committed to green initiatives. We continue to add protocols to minimize our carbon footprint.

Our exclusive Anaba wines are handcrafted from the best Rhône and Burgundian grape varieties grown at our Carneros Estate vineyard and in selected outstanding vineyard properties throughout Sonoma County. Our Rhône-style wines are artistic blends, inspired by the rugged earthiness of France’s Rhône Valley and replicated in the rocky Sonoma soils. Our Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs reflect the elegance and grace of the gently sloping vineyards found in Burgundy, crafted from similar sites in the Sonoma Coast and Carneros appellations.

Anaba is a winery after my own heart! They honor their stewardship of the land by utilizing sustainable practices while crafting Burgundian and Rhône style wines! Plus their wines are very reasonably priced. I encourage you to visit Anaba’s web site to learn more about the winery, view their entire portfolio of wines, and order some for yourself. The Anaba Turbine Red certainly wet my palate and left me wanting to try more of their wines!

My Song Selection: The Anaba Turbine Red wine from Sonoma Valley was bigger than I was expecting. It was definitely a rocking red wine; yet not over the top, round and well balanced.

Get your own bottle of Anaba Turbine 2013 Red Rhône Blend and let me know what song you pair with it. Cheers!