Pairing: Meaty cabernet sauvignon demands a flavorful tri-tip

Our Wine of the Week, Carnivor 2014 California Cabernet Sauvignon, is not your grandfather's cabernet. The varietal can be the most dignified red wine. But this particular quaffer is more of a street fightin' cab, something you can envision at a tailgate party or a bonfire at the beach. Think James Dean rather than Gregory Peck because the wine has plenty of swagger.

In the mouth, it isn't exactly a fruit bomb, but there's a jammy hit right up front that's all concentrated blackberry and licorice. As the wine spreads outward toward your cheeks, some classic cabernet qualities emerge - black pepper, black leather. And then there's a big surprise just before the finish, a meaty, gamy flavor reminiscent of ostrich meat.

We no longer have a commercial ostrich farm in Sonoma County, so an ostrich burger served rare is out the picture. We must find alternatives.

Bison stew, bison burgers, cherry preserves and venison will do well with this wine, as will beef ribs with a smoky paprika rub. Classic Welsh Rarebit works well, too, and even a fondue with a good dark bread for dipping makes a fine match.

But with Labor Day weekend coming up, let's cook outside. Get some corn to grill in the husk (remove the silks), and season it with plenty of butter and black pepper. Add thick slices of red onion, some fat, sweet peppers and some long thin eggplant alongside.

When it is all done, put it on a big platter and cover it with foil while you cook a tri-tip roast in a style long called “Santa Maria,” after the valley of the same name on the Central Coast of California.

Have a glass of cabernet as it cooks.

Beef Tri-Tip, à la Santa Maria

Serves 6

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

- Black pepper in a mill

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 beef tri-tip, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds

12-18 handmade-style corn tortillas

- Fresh tomato salsa

Put the garlic into a suribachi or other scored bowl and use a wooden pestle to crush it into a paste. Add the salt, paprikas, several turns of black pepper and the olive oil, and stir to form a thick paste. Rub this paste into the meat. Let rest at room temperature for an hour or two or overnight in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator an hour before cooking.

Prepare a fire in an outdoor grill.

Sear the meat over the hottest part of the coals. Move it aside or push the coals to one side, cover the grill and cook for about 20 minutes. Test the temperature and continue to cook until the thickest parts reach 115 to 120 degrees. Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.

At this point, the thickest part of the meat should be perfectly rare and the thinner parts medium rare.

Heat the tortillas until they are hot, tender and pliable; wrap in a warm tea towel.

Slice the meat, pile it on a platter and serve right away with the tortillas and some salsa alongside.

Michele Anna Jordan is author of the new “Good Cook's” series. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com and visit her blog at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.