Wine

[Paule]

Sunday night my wife made a nice rolled spinach lasagna with a white gorgonzola sauce topped with steamed asparagus. She copied a recipe from Rachel Ray. It was fantastic.

Our wine was a Quail Ridge Merlot 2003 from our wine club, a very good bottle that went well with the food. We only had enough for two glasses so we had to open another bottle. Unfortunately instead of sticking with the same, we tried another wine, A Fairview Grenache 2005 from Cali.

Neither of us had tried a Grenache before and didn't know if it would fare well with the food. It didn't...

I guess the problem I have now is... was the wine bad, or was the combo bad? What foods do you eat with a Grenache? We used to be Merlot fans until we explored Cabs. Now only the very best Merlots interest us. Is a Grenache a step up or down?

Please help me understand the Grenache.