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TreeHouse Tasting No.33: Navarro 2006 Pinot Noir

» posted by Rich on 2010-04-15 12:09:59

I'm the first to admit that I love food. I may even describe myself as a foodie. But the reality is that I spend no more than about five minutes a week actually cooking. It's one of three things:
1. I'm lucky enough to have somebody prepare food for me
2. I prepare something really quick, like mac 'n cheese, Froot Loops, or a sandwich
3. I eat out or get take out.

This is both expensive and unhealthy, (eating out is expensive, eating junk food is unhealthy). But Lady Jess and I came up with a plan. A challenge, really. Each week we each have to prepare a full meal for the two of us. I realize this seems like a pretty lame challenge to some of you, but we both have busy schedules and we only see each other a few nights a week. I think that once we get in the groove of cooking, and we expand our menus, we'll be cooking for ourselves almost every night. (gotta start slow). Neither of us are big cooks to begin with, so we're starting on a level playing field.

Last week's TreeHouse Tasting featured my first attempt at this challenge, a salad and steak dinner. I thought I did pretty good until Jess made her first meal; an Apricot-Thyme Pork Loin with Port Wine Sauce with a side of steamed carrots and roasted asparagus. Are you serious? And she nailed it, too! Everything was perfect. I mean, really... just look at that photo.

So the only thing I could do was pick the best wine I could think of. Navarro 2006 Pinot Noir Methode a l'Ancienne. It's true, a pinot is sort of a daring pairing with pork, but I thought it worked okay. And this Navarro Pinot is one of my favorites.

Straight up cherry jam toast on the nose, with sour cherry tones. Light and smooth as silk. Beautiful mouth feel, like you're making sweet love. So drinkable it's freakin' crazy. As I said before, this is one of my favorite Pinots of all time, and I want to score it 128,000 points.

I thought I'd include the recipe that Jess used for the meal, although I doubt you can make it any better than she did. Seriously.

From Healthy Cooking Basics (Weight Watchers Cookbook).
1 boneless center-cut pork loin, trimmed (1.5 pound)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cups chicken stock or bought reduced-sodium chicken/veggie broth
2/3 cup ruby port
4 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

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