Tonght’s dinner was rock shrimp sautéed in Meyer lemon-infused olive oil with garlic, rosemary, SI spicy seafood seasoning, and black pepper, finished wiht a little dry vermouth. I then added chopped tomatoes with tomato sauce, basil, thyme, and more garlic. This was thickened and served on Rustichella di Abruzzo Tagliarini. Wine was a 2002 Shaefer Firebreak. When I initially tasted it, the 9% cab component showed a bit of herbal note and there were a little dusty tannins. With the pasta and sauce the herbs submerged into the earthy cherry fruit and the tannins softened. The Firebreak was enjoyable with the dish.
Then to finish we had TJ’s Jumbo Raisin Medley with mixed nuts and a fruity, rich Windwalker Ruby Port, around ten years old. It turned out to be a good combination.