This weekend we made the aptly named Fabulous Pan Roasted Sea Bass and paired it with brown rice and the Mango Salsa over mixed salad greens. I left out, actually forgot to add, the black beans, which left this light enough to go with the fish. I added diced and salted avocado as a topping, not mixed in, to the salsa and having tasted the salsa both with and without it definitely recommend it as an option to the beans. BTW, no salad dressing is needed. To round out the meal, we had brown rice and a loaf of Safeway’s jalapeno /cheddar cheese artisan bread served hot from the oven. Rather than a white or pinot, we enjoyed Heitz Cellar’s 2007 Napa Valley Grignolino which was a delightful complement to the menu.

Tasting Notes: 2007 Grignolino will win you over immediately with its radiant garnet hue and vibrant floral bouquet! The fresh scent of rose petals hints at sweetness; however, the flavors of bright berry edged with orange peel are deliciously dry on the palate. Wine enthusiasts have shared the Heitz Family’s affection for this unique wine since 1961. Grignolino (pronounced green-o-lean-o) is produced with a northern Italian varietal, known in the Piedmont region as the “little strawberry.” Versatile and zesty, Grignolino is often seved slightly chilled as a terrific complement for spicy cuisines or lighter meats.

Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your experience with Pan Roasted Sea Bass and the tasting notes from Grignolino. Keep them coming. - RG