I think flank steak is one of my favorite cuts of beef. It is lower in fat than other cuts of meat, and can be prepared in a variety of ways, from grilling to sautéing to broiling. Because this steak is from the belly muscle of the cow, it can be tough. It's best to marinate the meat ahead of time and slice in thin pieces across the grain when serving. But don’t worry. I have a fast and easy recipe for you. A recipe that is fantastic with red wine. In this case, a lovely Spanish red from Ribera del Duero by Martin Berdugo. And the recipe is pretty straight forward, so you can get down to the business of enjoying your fantastic meal. 

Triple Threat (noun):  a person adept in three different fields of activity.  I think this recipe qualifies as a triple threat. First, it is easy to prepare. Second, you don’t need a bunch of fancy ingredients. Third, the presentation is impressive. I paired this recipe with Martin Berdugo Reserva. The sweet succulence of the lamb is perfect with the subtle spice and dark fruit found in this beautiful Ribera del Duero. A quadruple threat, I think.

Castilla La Mancha! The origin of delicious Manchego cheese. It’s also the home of one of the most famous figures from Spanish literature, Don Quixote of La Mancha, by author Miguel de Cervantes. And of course, there is the wine… Vega Demara produced by the Mateos de la Higuera family. I paired the Vega Demara Joven with this version of Pisto Manchego because I find that food and wine from the same region can be quite complimentary, and I think that you will agree. 

Pago de Larrainzar’s 2014 Angel de Larrainzar is a wine with hints of marmalade, berries, and cocoa. I paired this gem from Navarra with a cocoa rubbed pork tenderloin which I think is the perfect foil to the wine. This recipe has maximum flavour with a minimum amount of effort, so you van enjoy your Angel de Larrainzar.

In my house pizza is a something that we make several times a month. I make the dough, my husband makes the sauce, the kids cut the toppings (and eat half of them in the process). Then comes the phenomena of the magic hand. For some reason, when my husband assembles the pizza, it somehow looks better and tastes better. There is no scientific reason to explain this occurrence, which is why I call it the magic hand phenomena. So with this magic pizza, we need a wine that is easy to drink with some tannin (but not too much) and a nice amount of fruit, like the Martín Berdugo Joven. It is a young red made from the Tempranillo grape and because of it’s youth it has a lot of fruit but it is also low in tannins. Perfect for pizza.

This recipe was chosen for Walter Buchegger Holzgasse because it's a light and easy wine that needs something light and easy to match. You can throw everything together rather quickly and the ingredients are readily available. And as an added bonus, I made three tasty topping variations. Flammkuchen is not inherently a heavy dish, so it pairs great with this light and happy Grüner Veltliner. 

Did you know that Wild Boar can have as much Omega 3 fatty acids as some types of fatty fish, like salmon? Did you know that the antioxidants found in red wine may help to prevent heart disease? Well, it just so happens that Wild Boar pairs amazingly well with red wine. So one could theoretically argue that by preparing this dish, one is exercising good healthy living habits.  At least, that’s what I tell myself to justify eating this dish. Okay, enough of that. Since this recipe calls for a great red wine, I have paired it with a signature wine from Martín Berdugo. The vintage 2009 MB is a sophisticated Tempranillo that pair perfectly with this dish.... I get hungry (and thirsty) just thinking about it. 

I paired this recipe to the Aucala Red because the fruit from the garnacha grape and the rustic style of the carignan grape are a great match to the succulent slow cooked lamb which I think has a fruity and earthy flavor.

Are some friends of yours coming around for brunch? Do you want to serve something classic but not spend hours in the kitchen? I have just the solution. QUICHE! Okay, now don’t roll your eyes and think that it’s too complicated. You can make (or buy, no judging here!) the pastry dough the day before. Then you just have to cook some bacon and mix up some eggs. How hard is that? Chop up some fruit, throw some jam and bread on the table.... maybe buy some smoked salmon put it on a beautiful plate. Boom! You have yourself a lovely brunch.   And what pairs well with your lovely brunch? Bernard Vallette Née Buleuse, of course! It is 100% Gamay and pairs wonderfully with the smoky bacon in the quiche. Sure you could serve some other traditional sparkling wine, or even Champagne, but this pink sparkling beauty is an unusual find and guaranteed to please. Oh, and did I mention that it is Biodynamic? An entirely enjoyable and completely fun sparkler!

This is a pairing for an occasion where you just want to reward your awesome self with a lavish meal. I know that truffles, cognac, and entrecôte aren't cheap or easy to come by, but I think it's worth the extra effort and money spent on ingredients. And you are super cool and deserve it, right? I justify shelling out the extra cash because it's not difficult to make, and it doesn't take tons of time to prepare.  As for the wine, I find that the dried berry notes, balanced acidity, and touches of cedar in the 2009 Octonia, pair really well with the cognac and the earthy truffles. The rich sauce is so good that I could just eat it with a spoon like a decadent soup. Oh, and one last wine tip….. Winemaker, Josep Serra definitely recommends decanting the wine before serving.

Yes, I know, this dish is traditionally served with red burgundy (or at the very least, pinot noir). So why the Gamay? Well, friends, this is not your usual banana and bubble gum Beaujolais. No, it is something else. It is an elegant Gamay that has a distinct terroir (which means it tastes like the soil where it is from). I don't want to say that it drinks like a Burgundy, either. If I did, think Mr Vallette would throw his shoe at me. PS:  A little birdy told me that he, too, likes to serve this dish with his wine;)

This is a wine that will warm you up on a cold day. So it is fitting that you have something that matches with your warm wine sweater. In short? Short ribs! Moist, warm, delicious…with the meat falling off of the bone.  This wonderful dish is layered with flavor that  matches perfectly with this robust tempranillo’s layers of plumb, spice, and dark coffee palate. And the two together are truly a Beautiful Thing….

Don't think for one minute that the simplicity of this regional recipe makes it uninteresting. On the contrary, the simplicity of it, to me, makes it even more interesting. By using quality ingredients, you don't really have to do much to achieve something so harmonious and uncomplicated. I picked this Rioja because of its many layers of bright, fresh red fruit which compliments the earthiness of this dish…. Marring everything wonderfully together.