Wine Review: Cline 2010 Mourvedre Rose`

Let me first say that on the website they refer to this wine as a "quintessential breakfast wine." Well, I had it at dinner with a salmon cake, which easily could be served as a brunch pairing. I paired it with store bought biscuits with a spreading of Tabasco Brand Pepper Jelly http://www.tabasco.com. This is a wonderful pairing for a quick and satisfying  brunch or dinner.

Okay, let's talk about the wine; for starters the color is beautiful! It is a light pink that most would call a light salmon color, but to me it looks like the light pink roses that you see on vintage fabric, the ones with the light green leaves. I love the color and the flavor of this Rose`. This wine is made from the Mourvedre grape and it has lovely fruit aromas. The wine has flavors of dark fruit like plums, cherries and pomegranate and a slight herbal note. It is a wine that's perfect for summer and would be great paired with Cypress Grove Chevre "Purple Haze" http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com goat cheese due to the herbal notes of the wine and the lavender and fennel pollen coating of Purple Haze. Other parings would be salmon, chicken, ham, turkey burgers and pork skewers glazed with a cranberry sauce glaze. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Cline Cellars http://www.clinecellars.com.  SRP $12.00

Try this recipe for brunch paired with the Cline 2010 Mourvedre Rose` and let me know what you think, and don't forget the pepper jelly!

Lorrie's Salmon Cakes (yields 6 small salmon cakes)

Ingredients

(1) 14.75 ounce can of Pink Salmon (skin and bones removed)

(1) large egg

3 tablespoons of Italian Bread Crumbs

2 tablespoons finely chopped seasoning*( sweet onion, celery and Italian parsley)

1/2 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning  

1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/4 cup of flour (for dusting of the salmon cakes)

Canola oil for frying

In a bowl place salmon and remove all bones and skin. Add the egg, bread crumbs,chopped seasoning, creole seasoning, and ginger.  Mix well and divide into 6 equal portions in the bowl. Make a salmon pattie and gently dust each one with flour. If you have time refrigerate for about fifteen minutes for them to firm up. Add enough canola oil to a skillet to fry the salmon cakes, (about 3 tablespoons or so) and set temperature to a medium high flame. Brown the salmon cakes on each side and place them on a paper towel lined plate or platter. Serve warm with pepper jelly and biscuits ( I like the Pillsbury Grand flaky biscuits).  * Note: I cut 1 sweet onion, 2 stalks of celery and about a third of a bunch of Italian parsley leaves and put them in a food processor and process until the mixture is very finely chopped. I put the chopped seasoning mixture in a container and use it as needed.  This is so handy when cooking; it saves so much time!

Wine Pairing Suggestion:  Cline 2010 Mourvedre