Filet Mignon – Lean and Tender

 

 

The king of the red meats. Filet Mignon is not the most marbled cut of steak. It is tender and many steak lovers enjoy it only with a fork because there’s no need to cut it with a knife. This means that a lighter, thinner wine is a better choice to complement the texture.

How you season your FILET Mignon may determine the wine you choose. A simple salt and Pepper steak is best served with a Pinot Noir.

Pinot noir is grown around the world, mostly in cooler climates, and the variety is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France.  Pinot Noir is usually light to medium-bodied, with lower tannins and high acidity, making it a wine of grace and subtlety. It has a silky finish.

If your steak comes with a rich sauce you are best to go with a Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine  is a full-bodied red wine that has bold flavours of dark fruits, oak, and spice.

The Malbec is a medium to full-bodied red wine with medium to high tannins. And this makes them a great wine to pair with filet mignon that has been grilled.

There are those who like a Zinfandal   These wines  are very fruit-forward with flavors of dark fruits, spice, and pepper. This makes them a great wine to pair with filet mignon that has been seasoned with spices.

When in Double, try an all-time favourite, Merlot.

If you prefer white wines try Chardonnay or Viognier.

 

Some Visits are not Worth It!

A couple of months ago, I received an email from a winery asking me to visit and taste their wines. Of course, I was expected to write up on the winery and review the wines.

The winery was out in Abbotsford. Approximate 50 KM away a drive of just over one hour.

An appoint was made and off my wife and I went. Upon arrive we received a simple hello. I explained to the young lady we had an appointment to meet the owner. Sorry she said he is not here today. I now had to explain that we had an appointment. I present my business card .The young lady took the card and disappeared . She returned a few minutes later saying "I can give you a tasting". 

We proceeded through a four-glass sampling of their wines, which the young lady did with very little input. We then did a self-tour of the winery, taking numerous photos.

When leaving, as is our custom, we purchased one bottle of wine. I quickly swiped my card, and we headed on to the next winery down the road. "Hi Barb, Hi Bob, so nice to see you!"

Upon arriving home, we checked the receipt from the first winery. We were shocked

Tasting $30

Bottle of wine $32 

Tip $7.25

Now remember they invited us!!

 Now, where we live, lunch is included in our rent. We missed lunch due to the distance involved. We had to buy lunch, and our loss on that is $12 plus $47. So that trip cost us approximately $130. But wait, there is also the cost of gas!

Did I write up the first winery absolutely not!!

But this is not the first time in 2024 that we have been charged the tasting fee. With today's rising costs, I can not afford to travel to the wineries and pay $30 minutes every time I walk into a winery.

There are also fees included in the cost of running a website. 

But let me be totally honest: Most wineries do not charge us tasting fees, and some even provide a free bottle of wine to take home. We never ask or demand anything from a winery other than truly good hospitality and a little respect.