DECEMBER 2019
                               CABERNET SAUVIGNON SALE!

DID YOU KNOW. . . that El Paso Winery will be closing out it's 43rd season at the end of the month?

Well, let's see, Felipe Beltra founded the winery in 1976 and sold it to me 21 years later. This past November, I started my 23rd year of ownership. Remarkable. Unbelieveable. Remarkable in that 23 years ago Jerry and I left our 'retirement' at the beach house in New Jersey for a drive to Menands, New York, to visit our son and his wife. I talked him into leaving the Thruway at New Paltz to take an alternate route to sightsee along the way.

Unbelieveable in that a casual jaunt off the planned route changed our lives forever. It's a reality that never should have happened. We actually drove right by this old, forlorn looking barn with a broken down sign out front  -- Winery. Jerry asked if I'd like to stop and bring some wine up to the kids. Neither of us had ever been to a winery before and it sounded like fun. The rest is history. . .

When I think about things like this, I'm fascinated at how life or fate, nature or the Almightly sometimes seems to plop us on a path somewhere just to let us drift along.

Foolish me, I thought I'd spend the rest of my life walking on the beach, waiting for grandchildren to come for a visit. Instead, I'm here and loving every minute.

                        Thanks friends and soon to be friends. . . Maryl

P.S. For the month of December, I change the sale wines every week or so. So check out the "Wine List" occasionally. I probably won't be changing the recipe though.

Recipe of the Month

                Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Lavender and Mint

Ingredients
2/3cup finely chopped fresh mint
2 tbls coarsely chopped dried lavender (optional)
2 tsp finely minced fresh garlic
4 tbls soy sauce
2 tbls freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbls olive oil
1/3 cup dry Rosebud (rosé) wine
2 pork tenderloins (10 ounces each) trimmed of
    all fat and silverskin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 fresh ground pepper
2 tbl canola or safflower oil

Mix mint, lavender, garlic, soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil and wine together. Add pork, coating all sides. Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight. Remove pork from marinade and wipe off most of the herbs and spices. Discard marinade.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season each port tenderloin with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. In a hot pan that has been slightly oiled with canola oil, sear meat on all sides.

Remove pork to oven-proof pan or dish. Put in oven for 12 to 20 minutes or until mean is just cooked through. Take out and let meat rest, loosely covered for 3 to 4 minutes. Slice thinly and serve with spicy peach chutney.

Serve with Rosebud.                                                      Serves 6 to 8.

COOKING WITH WINE                                          Virginia and Robert Hoffman