Skip to Main Content Skip to Menu
Tangent Wines
True Myth
Zocker Wines
Shop All

SLO Down with Rob

February 2023 Club Shipment Tasting

Baileyana Pinot Noir being poured into glass against a cheese and charcuterie board backdrop

We sat down with Winemaker Rob Takigawa to taste the wines featured in our February 2023 wine club shipment. Not a member of our wine club? There's no time like the present to join and get first access to new releases, plus enjoy a slew of members-only perks. Learn more here.

2021 Baileyana El Gordo Chardonnay

2021 Tangent Clone 530 Sauvignon Blanc

2020 Baileyana Architects Pinot Noir

2018 True Myth Mosaico

2020 Baileyana Chardonnay Musqué

2018 Baileyana Syrah

Recipes

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.