When it comes to wine catchphrases these days, “food friendly” is near the top of the list. It’s a vague term, but typically it’s meant to telegraph a wine with a measure of restraint and balance, as opposed to, say, a wine that is overly ripe and lacking structure.

At Ancient Peaks, food friendliness isn’t something we wring our hands about in the winery cellar, because our estate Margarita Vineyard provides everything we need to make a wine that goes well with food.

Take our Cabernet Sauvignon, for example. Cabernet Sauvignon excels at Margarita Vineyard, where it achieves both ripeness and balance amid one of the coolest, longest growing seasons in the Paso Robles region. It’s a perfect climate that allows the tannins, acids and flavors to slowly develop in harmony with one another—and the result is an inherently food friendly wine.

On that note, our latest release 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (90 points, Wine Enthusiast) is a particularly fine match for filet mignon with black olive sauce; pasta with lamb ragu; and oven-roasted eggplant.

Another fitting match is the following recipe adapted from the Food Network. Our 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon’s juicy acidity, deep fruit layers and earthy aromas of (including black olive) pair perfectly with this dish:

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Pepper and Black Olive Sauce
Serve with Ancient Peaks 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients

2 (2 to 2 1/2 pound) center-cut pieces of beef tenderloin

Extra virgin olive oil, for coating roasts, plus 3 tablespoons for sauce

Grill seasoning (recommended: Southwestern Mesquite from local favorite Spice of Life)

5 whole roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped, well drained and pat dry

2 cloves garlic, popped from skin

Handful flat-leaf parsley

1 cup good quality pitted black olives, from bulk bins, such as kalamata, drained well

Salt and pepper

Crusty bread, sliced

Method

Preheat oven as high as it goes, 500 degrees F.

Liberally coat the meat with extra-virgin olive oil and grill seasoning. Place the meat on a roasting rack or in a roasting pan and place in oven. If you are cooking in a pan with no rack, add a splash of water to the pan. Roast the meat 10 minutes on high then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and cook 30 minutes more. Do not open oven during those first 10 minutes. Remove meat from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

While meat is in oven place roasted peppers in food processor and add garlic, parsley, olives, salt and pepper. Turn the processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons.

Thinly slice meat against grain and serve with crusty bread and sauce.