dinner

[Randy Caparoso]

When we were first married 23+ years ago, my wife cooked faithfully from Julia Child -- I did the wine matching -- and so I remember having variations of this. White is actually preferred in the marinade because it doesn't discolor the meat so much, yet you still get the same wonderful winey flavor. The tenderloin and reduction of natural juices definitely make this a red wine dish.

I think the Covey Run is nice and soft enough for this dish, which has a touch of sweetness from the Madeira and caramelized touches in the roast. The thing to remember is that if you are serving a Cabernet Sauvignon, just make sure it is not too big and seriously high in tannin -- otherwise the bitter elements will fight with the sweetness (the wine will taste too dry, and the dish to caramely). Wineries like Chateau Souverain, Beaulieu (their "Rutherford" bottling), Kunde, and Justin make beautifully soft yet rich, almost sweet toned Cabernets.

But because the tenderloin is a particularly low fat cut, an especially good choice in wine would be a good, rich, yet velvety smooth Pinot Noir -- particular full, sweetly scented, serious ones from Oregon (a Ponzi "Reserve," Cristom, or WillaKenzie), Santa Barbara (Au Bon Climat, Babcock or Lane Tanner) or the Russian River Valley (Williams Selyem, "J," or De Loach "OFS"). The portobello mushrooms make Pinot Noir a particularly ideal match (both elements bringing out the earthy, aromatic qualities in the other).