I decided to challenge my pairing techniques on a recipe found in the previous pages of this issue. New Mexico author, teacher and TV personality, Jane Butel, has shared a dish for your taste buds to experience from her book, Real Women Eat Chiles. So, I will suggest the wine that I feel best pairs with this work of culinary art. The recipe is Chile-Seared Salmon with Sweet Pear Pineapple Salsa.

Let’s explore the different tastes your buds will experience and how and why the wine will complement this dish.

Chile-Seared Salmon with Sweet Pear Pineapple Salsa is a challenge because I like to serve a Pinot Noir with salmon, breaking away from the red wine with meat and white wine with fish. Adding a sweet salsa to a chile-seared fish such as salmon gave me pause. The chile would normally require a high acidic wine like a Sauvignon Blanc. But because the salsa contains sweetness and the salmon is only seared with chile, I found that the Pinot Noir worked really well. There is a word of caution, however. Not all Pinots are made the same. This dish required a Pinot Noir with full body and flavor. Over the years I have become a fan of wines from the Central Valley of California. Pinot Noir grapes are a real challenge to grow and even harder to make a good wine from them. Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Arroyo Seco terroir seem to do well. This wine, a 2006 Muirwood, is an example of wine from that terroir. This wine was produced from six different and distinct Pinot Noir clones. The winemaker carefully chose grapes from different lots in the vineyards and blended them into this wonderful Pinot. It has intense color, soft tannins with a soft, yet full body. Seasoned in French Oak and now three years in the bottle, it’s ready to enjoy with this interesting recipe. The flavors are signature of a good Pinot Noir, generous cherry and berry flavors with velvety texture. I really liked this one.

It’s not easy to find a good Pinot Noir. Keep in mind that Muirwood produces only limited and reserve wines. Run; don’t walk to your favorite wine shop to purchase a bottle. It should cost you in the neighborhood of less than $20. When you get it home, prepare the salmon recipe and enjoy.