Pairing: Pinot noir flatters a bowl of hummus

Our Wine of the Week, Siduri 2015 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($35), is a welcoming and engaging wine. It opens its arms wide to a range of preferences. It is delicate yet not so delicate that a fan of, say, merlot, would call it wimpy.

It is substantial yet not coarse; it won't drive away those who appreciate more, shall we say, feminine examples of this varietal.

Fruit flavors, all bright and red, are beautifully integrated, though if you try, you may pick out suggestions of Santa Rosa plums, cranberries, and pomegranates. There's a hint of wild mushroom, forest floor, topsoil, and the high, sweet notes of the world's best black peppercorns.

The texture is just what it should be, as smooth as satin rubbing against taffeta, with an almost mineral-like crispness. The finish lingers, temptingly: Yes, go ahead, have another sip.

At the table, the wine will be flattered by mushrooms, fresh and aged goat cheese, delicate tomato and butter sauces, rare duck, lamb, and beef, the dark meat of chicken, salmon, smoked fish and deep fried oysters.

The wine is also an excellent aperitif, served outside as the sun sinks down behind the western hills, with good bread and a selection of condiments - black olive tapenade, skordalia (potato and olive oil purée) and an outstanding butter alongside. It works beautifully with hummus, too, especially this one adapted from “The Good Cook's Book of Oil & Vinegar” (Skyhorse Publishing, 2015), designed to go with exactly this sort of wine.

A Good Hummus For Red Wine

Makes about 3 cups

2 1/2 cups (from 3/4 cup dried beans) cooked chickpeas (see Note below)

1/2 cup cooking liquid from the chickpeas or water

4-5 large fresh garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

3/4 cup raw sesame tahini

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

- Black pepper in a mill

- Crackers, crostini, warmed pita bread, thinly sliced celery, and thinly sliced carrots, for serving

Set aside 1/2 cup of the chickpeas and put the rest, along with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid or water, the garlic and the 2 teaspoons of salt into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the ingredients form a smooth puree, adding the remaining cooking liquid or water if needed.

Add the ground cumin, lemon juice and tahini and pulse until the tahini is fully incorporated into the mixture.

Transfer the hummus to a mixing bowl, using a rubber spatula to scrape all of it from the work bowl. Fold in three tablespoons of the olive oil and several very generous turns of black pepper.

Taste the hummus, paying careful attention to the balance of salt and acid. It should taste bright but not lemony and the flavors should be bold, not flat. If it seems flat, add a generous sprinkling of salt in one corner and squeeze a little lemon juice on top to dissolve the salt. Fold into the hummus, taste again and repeat until the hummus is irresistible.

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as long as a few hours before serving.

While the hummus chills, combine the reserved chickpeas and reserved olive oil in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To serve, pour the reserved chickpeas and olive oil over the hummus. Serve right away, with any or all of the suggested accompaniments.

Covered and refrigerated, the hummus will keep for 3 to 4 days.

Note: You can use canned chickpeas if you like but they should be drained and rinsed. To use dried chickpeas, simply soak the dried peas overnight, rinse, cover with fresh water by two inches, season with salt and cook over medium heat until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool in the cooking liquid and then drain.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of more than 20 books to date, including “The Good Cook's Book of Oil & Vinegar.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com