Meiomi Pinot Noir

Wine: Meiomi	Type: Pinot Noir
Country: USA	Region: California
Rating: Good	Price:
Recommendation: Recommended

This week, my family was was having Rack of Lamb as a treat and we decided that a nice Pinot Noir would be a good accompaniment. We don’t normally drink a lot of Pinot Noir, probably because we don’t know a lot about the wine and therefore don’t always make good choices. So we turned to a friend for a recommendation, his suggestion was the Meiomi Pinot Noir from California and it was a good choice.

The Meiomi wine label is made under the Belle Glos brand by the Wagner Family of Wine. Unlike other wines we have reviewed recently, there does not appear to be a flagship winery to highlight. The name Meiomi is derived from the native, Californian coastal dwelling Wappo and Yuki tribes of the region and means coast. Supporting the name, the grapes are sourced from from Monterrey County (35%), Santa Barbara county (34%), and Sonoma County (31%). The climates in the various regions range from cooler and foggier in the north, windy in the middle, to drier and warmer in the south. In addition to the climactic variations of the regions, the different soil types all make different contributions to the wine.

The wine is a plum color with a definitive purple tinge; we could identify scents and tastes of cherry and hints of Blackberry. Meiomi is a smooth drinking wine that can be enjoyed by people with a broad range of tastes. It would be suitable to drink on it’s own and would go well with many food types such as tomato based dishes or medium red meats. We were pleased with the wine and the paring with the lamb which was prepared beautifully by my wife.

Rack of lamb

Original recipe makes 4 Servings Change Servings

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (7 bone) rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) with oven rack in center position.
2. Combine bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
3. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Brush rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.
4. Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the how well cooked you like it. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

Rating: Good

Available at H.E.B Supermarket in Houston

Winery Web Site

http://www.meiomiwines.com/

http://www.meiomiwines.com/techsheets/2012_BG_Meiomi_fact_sheet.pdf