Lebanese Lubyi, Turkish Bazlama, and 2016 St. Supéry Rutherford Merlot #MerlotMe #Sponsored

  This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the #MerlotMe event sponsors.
Complimentary wine was provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.

However, all opinions expressed here are my own. 

It's October. Do you know what that means? It's the time of year when bottles of Merlot start arriving at my door for #MerlotMe. The Wine Pairing Weekend  - #WinePW - crew has been participating in this online celebration of the Merlot grape for the past five years. So, once again, October's Wine Pairing Weekend collides with the event. Jeff of Food Wine Click! invited us to jump on the #MerlotMe bandwagon with him again this year. Welcome to year six!

The MerlotMe website encourages wine lovers to "celebrate the greatness of Merlot throughout the month of October." So, we are. In addition, all of the #winePW bloggers were offered bottles of Merlot to try, taste, and pair for this event. Complimentary wine? You bet. I'm in. 

In the Glass

I received a bottle of 2016 Merlot from the St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery, a 100% estate grown, sustainably farmed winery located in the renowned Rutherford growing region in the heart of Napa Valley. Founded in 1982, the estate has incorporated supporting biodiversity and sustainability while continuing their original vision for the vineyard.

This Merlot pours a deep ruby color with purple highlights. Aromas of black fruit and dark chocolate combine with licorice, smoky oak, and a hint of wet slate that result in a richly flavored wine that is both tangy and balanced. This structured, elegant Merlot had Jake thinking of his favorite lamb dish from his childhood, so I made it and this wine paired fantastically with it.

On My Plate

There's a story behind this dish for me...I told the boys: "This dish was one of your Daddy's favorites when he was a little kid. And when Daddy and I were getting married, Aunt Jenn had a party for me...called a 'bridal shower.' She asked guests to give me copies of their favorite recipes. And because Grandma knew that Daddy loved this dish, she wrote out the recipe and sent it to me."

I've since adapted it and even made more adaptations for this dinner based on different versions of Lubyee Bi Lahmi. I've always used chunks of meat; this time, I decided to try ground lamb in addition to thin strip of lamb shoulder

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced
• 2 to 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 pound lamb shoulder, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine (I used some leftover Merlot)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup organic beef stock
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" lengths
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper

Procedure

In a large, flat-bottom pan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions and celery until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add in the ground lamb and cook until fully browned. Stir in the sliced lamb, herbs, and cinnamon.

Pour in the tomato sauce, wine, water, and stock. Bring to a boil, then cover, and simmer for 40 minutes to let the flavors fully meld. Add in the green beans and cook until the beans are just beginning to soften.  You don't want them mushy! It should take approximately 6 or 7 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a side of rice and your favorite flatbread. I made a batch of Turkish Bazlama...that recipe will be coming soon, but this is what it looks like!

Stay tuned for more Merlot pairings throughout this month.

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*Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of wine samples for recipe development and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.