2009 Yard Dog Red

Wow. This modest little Petit Verdot blend really out-kicked its coverage tonight. My parents, tee-totalers, are in town for the next two weeks and I grilled a tri-tip for dinner. Not in the mood to open anything too expensive, my last bottle of 2009 Red Heads Studio Yard Dog Red, Australia was calling my name. Still shows a beautiful, saturated color, even if it isn't quite as dark as it was a year ago. On the nose, beautiful tart cherry, dust, graphite, mineral and coffee notes. Really speaks to the rugged nature of Petit Verdot. Silky smooth on the palate with refreshingly tart cherry and cranberry notes. Nice tannins and acidity with a long, dusty finish. Really over-delivers for $10. 60% Petit Verdot, 20% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Looking for a change from my normal chimichurri sauce, I whipped up a little Italian-inspired sauce to top the perfectly-grilled tri-tip. It's a little something I've dubbed Pesto Gianni in honor of my good friend John Fodera. In a Cuisinart, whiz a couple of cloves of fresh garlic, a handful of pecans, a few cups of arugula (preferably garden-fresh), grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. When it reaches the consistency of a coarse paste, gently stir in enough olive oil to achieve the desired consistency. Great as a steak topping or tossed with cooked rotini.