Pan Seared Rosemary Garlic Strip Steaks with Bogle Petite Syrah #WinePW

What is your favorite "go to" bottle of wine?


I am no wine connoisseur by any means.  Heck, I had to look it up to make sure I was spelling it correctly!

Oh, but I do soooo love having a glass of wine and I do know what I like and what I don't.  I love learning about wines too.  I like to read books and articles.  My husband and I attend wine tastings at wineries, and wine tasting dinners at restaurants.  We spend time in the wine section at the store, often buying something new so that we can compare it with what we know and like.  We are open to spending a little more on a nice bottle of wine for a special occasion and we are also known to keep boxed wine on hand, as well.

I also have joined a couple of wine blogging groups.  This one that I am posting for today is called Wine Pairing Weekend (#WinePW) and I am hosting this month.  This group concentrates on pairing food with wine.  We post on the second Saturday of each month and talk about our pairing and how well it worked or didn't work, if that were the case.  Whoever is hosting on a particular month gets to choose the theme.

Themes this year have included "A New Wine for a New Year",  "Wine and Comfort Food" and "Open that Bottle Night".  You can see a list of upcoming events posted by our leader, David of Cooking Chat Food.


This month I chose the theme "The Old Standby".  I asked the others to share the wine that they always keep on hand. Perhaps it is from a winery that they know and trust.  Or a certain varietal that they always drink.  The bottle that they know exactly what to expect  each and every time they open it or give it as a hosting gift.

When I first started drinking wine, and I know that I am dating myself, I drank Blue Nun Liebfraumilch.  When I could first drink legally, that is.  Before that it was Annie Green Springs and Boone's Farm LOL.  I graduated from that Blue Nun to Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, in the early 90's after being served it in a restaurant while on a trip to California.

A few years later, my husband and I were on a weekend getaway, up north, and he had forgotten to bring his whiskey so he decided to have a glass of the Kendall Jackson Chard that I had brought along.  To his surprise, he liked it and our exploration into wines began.

25 years later, I still like and occasionally buy Kendall Jackson wines, especially their Chard but my tastes have changed and I more often drink red wines over white and dry wines over sweet.  Not always, but normally.

For the past several years, my go to winery is Bogle and, most often, the varietal from this winery is their Petite Syrah.  I do enjoy their Chards and Cabs as well, but their are other wineries that have great Chards and/or Cabs that I enjoy just as well.  I have not, however, found another Petite Syrah from any other winery yet that I feel is as good as the Bogle.  While Chards are normally bright and crisp or smooth and buttery and Cabs are normally dry and fruity, the Petite Syrah is jammy and succulent.  Not quite as dry as a Cab or Merlot but also not sweet at all.  Just smooth and full bodied. I enjoy it equally well paired with food or by itself while relaxing in the evening.

I opened this bottle to go along with a Pan Seared Rosemary and Garlic Strip Steak accompanied by a warm green bean and potato salad.  It was, as I knew it would be, a perfect pairing.

You will find links to the others favorite "Old Stand-By" bottles and their pairings directly under my recipe.

Pan Seared Rosemary Garlic Strip Steaks

2 (6-8 oz) New York Strip Steaks

Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste

1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 sprig rosemary

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Season the steaks liberally with Montreal Steak Seasoning and let rest to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over med high heat. When heated and foamy, add the steaks and cook for 3 minutes, until nicely seared.  Flip over, nestle the rosemary and garlic around the steaks and sear for another 2-3 minutes, ladling the flavored butter over the steaks as they cook.  Remove to a platter and let rest for a few minutes before cutting and serving, drizzling with the flavored butter.  Print Recipe

Food and Wine Pairings featuring Favorite Go To Wines

• 15 Years, 3 Kids, 5 Houses and 1 Wine that's seen it all. by L'Occasion 
• Azaleas, Rosé and Pizza: A Few of My Favorite Things by Pull That Cork 
• Go-To Chardonnays (and recipes for pairing) by Grape Experiences
• My Go-To Wine for Curry by Cooking Chat  
• Need a Go-To Wine? Go to Beaujolais! by The Swirling Dervish 
• Old Vine Zin is an Old Fave by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Pan Seared Rosemary Garlic Strip Steaks with Bogle Petite Syrah by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Standards: Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel for an easy midweek meal by Wine Predator
• You Come Home, You Need Wine. What are you Grabbing To Make It Fine? by Dracaena Wines