Beef Stew with Bacon and Butternut Squash
This dish screams for a Pinot Noir! But I wouldn't go with a French Pinot Noir, which tends to be more delicate and earthy; I'd do something a bit riper from America. The trick here is to find a Pinot that is a bit riper but still has the balance and elegance that we love in Pinot. A few of my favorite producers that accomplish this are Hirsch, Sandhi, Ceritas, Chanin, Tyler, Peay and Au Bon Climat. They all make beautiful, compelling wine from the cooler areas of California, which are balanced and aromatic. One producer that makes wine in this style, but at a very reasonable price is Lioco. I love their wines – we’ve always served them at L'Apicio and their Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is an excellent example of this style. For something a bit fuller, check out the Lioco Indica, which is mostly Carignan (a Southern French grape most often used in blends) from very old vines and has a bit extra spiciness and body.