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Valentine’s Day Wine Pairings

Valentine's Day Wine Pairings - 2018 Halcon Rojo Pinot Noir

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we're here to help you plan your night right. Whatever your plans, a thoughtful wine pairing can elevate your Valentine's Day dinner and make it even more memorable.

Keep reading to find our selection of wines we recommend for this special day, each with a simple, classic, involved, and fancy pairing.

Cheers!

Brut Rosé Pairings

With fresh aromas of fruit and a balanced structure, our Brut Rosé has endless pairing opportunities.

For a simple pairing, we recommend a flavorful grilled chicken breast with some hearty winter vegetables. We like this recipe from Simply Delicious with an easy marinade that brightens up the meat and complements the roasted vegetables.

For a more "classic" pairing, we recommend a delicate oven-roasted salmon, like this bright and succulent baked salmon from Delish, over Bon Appetit's best risotto. While these dishes might seem daunting, both are very simple and yield amazing flavors when paired with the Brut Rosé.

For a more involved pairing, try your hand at a Frisée Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette from Bon Appetit. While a salad might sound boring, this salad is anything but that. It has bacon, a poached egg, and a dressing made from the bacon fat. Need we say more? The richness from the bacon and the sparkling from the Brut are pure pairing heaven.

For a fancy pairing, you can't go wrong with caviar and crème fraîche on blinis. We recommend this simple blini recipe from AllRecipes, but if you'd like to skip a step on this one swap out the blini for a light potato chip. The saltiness of the chip will be subdued by the sweet fruit notes in our Brut.

Halcon Rojo Pinot Noir Pairings

Our Halcon Rojo Pinot Noir showcases flavors of ripe red fruit with light acidity and a long, smooth finish making it easy to pair with both light and heavy dishes.

For a simple pairing, we recommend gnocchi in a cream sauce, like this Bechamel Sauce from Epicurious, with fresh peas. The acidity of the Pinot Noir will cut through the richness of the cream keeping the dish light and delicious. For the gnocchi, while you can try your hand at homemade, a store-bought version works just as well.

For a more "classic" Pinot pairing, try a whole roasted chicken with sizzling potatoes underneath. We look to the amazing Ina Garten and her Perfect Roast Chicken for this pairing.

For the couple that likes to cook together, try out pairing our Pinot with homemade pizza. Pizza is a great pairing for our Halcon Rojo as it complements the bolder flavors of sausage and onion while it brightens a simple cheese and an earthy mushroom. The topping options are endless, as is the dough.

The fanciest Pinot pairing in our book is Roasted Duck, like this Crisp-Braised Duck Leg recipe from New York Times. The gaminess of the duck brings out the earthy flavors of our Halcon Rojo Pinot, while the wine's acidity keeps its richness in line.

Rosé of Pinot Noir Pairings

Our Rosé of Pinot Noir is fresh, elegant, and bright. As one of our favorites, this wine is a perfect year-round complement to salads, seafood, and any light dishes.

For a simple pairing, a small (or large) cheese board is perfect. The great thing about this pairing is that there aren't any "rules" for your pairings. Pick whatever cheeses, meats, and crackers you like. The light fruit aromas and bright acidity of the Rosé will play nicely off of any of your selections. Add in some nuts, fruit, or jams to really class up the board.

For a classic pairing, try your hand at freshly shucked oysters! We recommend reading a guide on how to select and safely shuck fresh oysters from MasterClass as it can be quite tricky. For toppings, keep it simple with freshly squeezed lemon or whip up a flavorful mignonette like this one from Bon Appetit.

For a more involved pairing, a simple shrimp taco is a great pairing for our Rosé. The acid in the lime and spices from Natasha's Kitchen's Shrimp Tacos Recipe is complemented by the fruit flavors and delightful freshness of this wine.

For a fancy pairing, we recommend Kitchen Stories' Whipped Ricotta on Berry Brioche Toast. While whipped ricotta might not sound fancy, the elevated brioche and homemade berry sauce kick this recipe up a notch which will be sure to impress your valentine.

True Myth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Our Reserve Cabernet is full-bodied and rich yet soft and palatable. A true Cabernet, this wine pairs excellently with big and bold flavors that are perfect to indulge in on Valentine's Day.

For a simple pairing, we must recommend chocolate-covered strawberries because what's more Valentine's Day than that? While there are endless instructional videos and recipes, this recipe from Delish will answer all your questions on the holiday favorite.

For a classic pairing, we again look to the great Ina Garten and her Coq Au Vin Recipe. A rich, chicken stew, Coq Au Vin will delight your valentine with its incredible layers of flavor complemented by the deep richness of our Reserve Cabernet.

For a more involved pairing, try out this One Pot Braised Pork Ragu from New York Times Cooking. With only a few steps, this recipe is all about giving the meat the proper time while browning and roasting, lending rich and deep flavors highlighted by the dark fruits in our Reserve Cabernet. We recommend serving this on top of fresh pappardelle, homemade or store-bought.

For a fancy pairing to really impress your valentine, try your hand at Bon Appetit's Slow-Cooked Short Ribs with Gremolata. While this dish will be impressive on the plate, it's really a breeze to make in the kitchen. We recommend topping the ribs with a simple polenta. All you need to do is follow the recipe on the bag, such as Golden Pheasant, which can be found in your local grocery store.

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Miso Chicken

Ambiant setting with red wine

While some might not think red wine and chicken go hand-in-hand, that is certainly not the case for a Pinot Noir! The light body and sharp acidity of a Pinot Noir are the perfect match for a savory and delicious chicken dish. For this Miso Chicken, our El Pico Pinot Noir's crisp fruit notes, balanced by its silky sweet oak tannins enhance the saltiness of the miso glaze, while the acidity cuts through the richer flavors. The shiitake mushrooms are perfectly complemented by the earthy elegance found in the wine, which also elevates the bright flavors from the watercress and snow peas. Pure umami heaven!

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
  • ½ c. white miso paste
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 2-inch piece ginger (peeled and minced)
  • 1 c. jasmine rice
  • ½ c. shiitake mushrooms (caps thinly sliced, stems removed)
  • 1 c. watercress
  • ½ c. snow peas
  • 1 c. sugar snap peas
  • 4 tbsp cashews (chopped)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 475 F
  2. In a small bowl, combine miso paste, 1/3 of the garlic, 1/3 of the ginger & 2 tablespoons water; stir to thoroughly combine. Line a sheet pan with foil. Pat chicken breasts dry; season with salt & pepper. Place on the sheet pan and spread miso mixture on top. Cook 20-25 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
  3. While chicken roasts, in a small pot, bring rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 ¼ c. water to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
  4. Once the chicken has roasted for 10 minutes, in a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and ginger, cook, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute, until softened and fragrant.
  5. Add watercress, snow peas and sugar snap peas to mushrooms; season with salt & pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes, or until bright green.
  6. Plate cooked rice, topping with vegetables & chicken breast. Garnish with cashews.

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One Pan Salmon & Veggies

Baileyana Firepeak Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir and salmon are one of those delightfully surprising pairings. Normally, you think of white wine and fish (which, truth be told, works incredibly well too), but an earthy, light Pinot Noir with vibrant acidity helps to balance salmon’s natural richness and savory flavors. In this pairing, our Firepeak Pinot Noir’s expressive dark fruits and currants with light spice imparted from oak aging are the perfect match to enhance the warm spice notes in the maple syrup glaze while accentuating the salmon’s buttery-ness. It's a true match made in heaven!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb salmon (fresh or thawed)
  • ½ lb baby potatoes, halved
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ½ lb asparagus spears
  • 1 c. cherry tomatoes
  • 1-2 Meyer lemons, thinly sliced into coins
  • Salt & pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 F and grease a baking sheet.
  2. Add the halved baby potatoes to a large bowl. Add garlic and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Gently toss until coated and scatter evenly onto a greased baking sheet.
  3. Bake potatoes in the oven until fork tender, 10-15 min. Remove from oven.
  4. While the potatoes are baking, mix together the maple syrup, whole grain mustard, paprika, and a dash of salt & pepper.
  5. In the same bowl used for potatoes, add the asparagus spears and cherry tomatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper until coated. Move potatoes to one side of the baking sheet and lay the asparagus and tomatoes on the other. Top both sides with lemon slices.
  6. Place the salmon in the center of the baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Pour the maple glaze over the top of the salmon.
  7. Place the pan back in the oven until the salmon is tender and flakes with a fork, 10-15 min. Turn the broiler on low for the last 2 minutes to caramelize the top of the maple glaze. Serve hot.

Recipes

Sea Bass Ceviche

Tangent Block 163 Albariño being poured in a glass

This ceviche served on tortilla chips is an effortless summer snack, perfect for lazy days lounging outside on the patio or by the pool. Match acidity with acidity by pairing it with our Clone 530 Sauvignon Blanc that shows notes and flavors of tropical fruit, citrus, apple, and juicy passionfruit which help accentuate the citrus and ocean flavors in the dish. As another pairing option, try our Block 163 Albariño.

Ingredients

  • 1lb white sea bass (or any other fish), diced small
  • 3 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tomatoes sliced
  • 1 jalapeño deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Diced avocado and tortilla chips for serving

Directions

Add the diced sea bass to a small mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the lime and lemon juice with all other ingredients and pour over diced fish.

Mix together so that all ingredients are well combined.

Layer the top with plastic wrap, cover, and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

Serve with fresh diced avocado and tortilla chips.

Recipes

Pork Loin Tonnato

A classic Northern Italian dish, this Pork Loin Tonnato comes together in about an hour and is a delicious dinner to enjoy any night of the week.

Pair it with our 2020 Musqué Chardonnay for a vibrant, palate-pleasing indulgence. With the Musqué’s aging in both concrete and oak, it nicely complements the tangy and slight brininess of the sauce while still offering a tad of richness to pair with the pork. Our La Pristina Chardonnay is also an excellent match for this dish if you’re looking for a wine with a rounder mouthfeel. 

Ingredients:

For the pork:

  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2lbs of pork loin
  • 1 onion
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 qt white wine
  • 2 carrots

For the sauce:

  • 8oz canned tuna
  • 10 anchovy filets
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lemon slices to garnish
  • Parsley to garnish

Directions:

Bring wine, vinegar, and liter of water to boil. Add vegetables and pork. Cook on low for 1 hour or until firm. Keep pork in liquid and let cool.

For the sauce: in a food processor, combine tuna, anchovies, capers, vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Place the mixture in a bowl and add mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste. Slice pork very thin and layer on platter. Spread the sauce on the pork and garnish with lemon slices and parsley.