Never have I identified with any wine (yet) as strongly as I have with the Rebellious red blend wine from California.

Why do I identify with this wine so much? Well for one, this wine, just like many things in life, has been rebelliously elusive to get a hold off…and finally I have it!

The Rebellious winemakers say that nature is unpredictable, unforgiving… and unapologetic. Everything must fight to survive. But it’s precisely this challenge that inspired the creation of Rebellious, a new type of red wine blend. Now, how can that not be a truthful description about life? Well at least in my life, which has always put me on the rebellious (yet often misinterpreted) stance of going against the grain by questioning things and going against the status quo.

Like me, always searching for the essence of truth in things, the Rebellious wine roots dig deep in their search for water, a struggle that yields the best grapes. Instead of creating a typical red blend from these grapes, Rebellious not only brings six types of varieties of red grapes to the mix but also embraces the unexpected by adding a dash of white to round out the aromas.

The end result is quite a creatively surprising one, in which the wine’s spirit of nature is ultimately expressed in a uniquely full-bodied flavor and luxurious finish.

Now, who wouldn’t appreciate that in life?

Let‘s get cooking!

Menu

Grilled skirt steak and Argentinian chorizo (sausage) with paprika butter

Cannellini bean salad

Wine pairing

2019 Rebellious Red Blend (California, USA)

Grilled skirt steak and Argentinian chorizo (sausage) with paprika butter and cannellini bean salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

Steak

• 2 pounds of lean skirt steak, cut in 4 equal portions
• Sea salt and cracked pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 8 small Argentinian chorizos (mini sausages)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked hot paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Cannellini bean salad

• 2 (15 ounce) cans of cannellini beans
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
• 3/4 cups of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 large shallot, finely minced
• 1 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, zested and juice
• 2-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and cracked pepper (to taste)

Directions

Skirt Steak and Chorizo

1. Rub the skirt steaks lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until nicely charred and medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side (or to desired doneness).
2. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain.
3. Grill sausages until thoroughly cooked.
4. Meanwhile, light a grill or heat a grill pan.
5. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt; keep warm.*

*The paprika butter can stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours; reheat the butter gently.

Bean salad

1. Add white beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, shallots and parsley to a large mixing bowl. Add lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Finish with lemon juice and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (at least 2 to 4 tablespoons).
3. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. For best flavor, let the salad sit in the dressing for 30 minutes or so before serving.

Serve it up!

Dishes that come with sauces usually merit individual plating. The gorgeous color and texture from the paprika butter sauce truly calls attention to this dish. So, to serve this meal, first spoon a few tablespoons of the bean salad slightly off-centered in the plate. Then, place a few mini chorizos next to the salad. Next, carefully lay a piece of steak on the center of the plate, with one end on top of the salad and a chorizo.

Finally, carefully spoon the paprika butter over top the steak and along the sides.

Bon appetit! Enjoy!

Rebellious: Be a little daring with this red blend wine

Each year Rebellious selects fruit that will allow them to assemble the finest blend for the given vintage.

In 2019, grapes were selected from prestigious grape growing regions throughout California, including the North Coast Appellations of Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties.

After a wet and cool spring, the regions saw moderately warm, clear days throughout the summer months with fruit ripening at a predictable and leisurely rate.

The consistent weather provided for a near perfect growing season, with harvest beginning in most areas by mid-August.

Tasting notes for Villa Matilde Aglianico Campania IGP: This wine presents abundant aromas of dark cherry and strawberry jam, brown sugar, dark chocolate, and cola with hints of cardamom, black pepper, sandalwood, and licorice. The bright and vibrant entry accentuates flavors of fresh blueberries and allspice that linger into a creamy, rich mid-palate and ends with a luxurious finish.

This Aglianico offers intense, long-lingering impressions of spice, wild blackberries, and ripe red berries. The palate is warm, full-bodied, and velvet-smooth. This full-volume wine, modern in style, demonstrates in an appealing and convincing fashion its intimate bond with its terroir of origin.

Grapes:

• 42% Zinfandel
• 27% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 9% Merlot
• 7% Petite Sirah
• 7% Syrah
• 7% Mourvedre
• 1% Sauvignon Blanc

Food pairing: This vibrant blend is bursting with flavors that pair well with grilled foods including saucy baby back ribs, grilled vegetables, or a juicy burger with cheddar. The spicy fruit flavors also complement braised short ribs and roast turkey with sausage stuffing.