Chipotle Stroganoff
For Rachael's stroganoff, you'll need a red wine to stand up to those bold flavors, but you don't want anything too dry because of the smoky chipotle peppers. I love Austrian reds for this job. They are the perfect balance of being food friendly (soft, juicy with mouth-watering acidity), wallet/pocketbook-friendly (there are a bunch of obscure grapes that don't cost nearly as much as a good Cab) and they offer you the possibility to try something truly special and unique. Zweigelt is a uniquely Austrian red grape that is soft, juicy, lively and has great flavors of warming spices to pair with the beef. Check out the 1 liter Berger Zweigelt for only $12-$13. It is a great example of this grape/wine region and a great price!