Pairing: Hearty pasta stands up to rich, red wine

Our Wine of the Week, Limerick Lane 2015 Russian River Valley Syrah-Grenache ($45), is big, bold, and intense. It will delight everyone who favors this hefty, masculine style.

It is a big boy from its first aromas - think white pepper and a hint of something resembling mint - to its luscious finish, redolent with tangy cherry and black pepper. Mid-palate flavors suggest black plum, black cherry and more black pepper.

At the table, you’ll enjoy the wine with almost any kind of grilled meat, barbecue, winter squash,and eggplant. Rabbit braised in red wine and tomatoes and finished with a black olive tapenade makes a lovely match that mirrors the wines rustic yet elegant character. Classic pissaladière with caramelized onions and anchovies is a great match, too, and perfect for a fall picnic.

If you want to take a more American rather than a French approach, try this wine with homemade macaroni and cheese to which you’ve added grilled and sliced sausages.

Another excellent companion is a true whole grain pasta with a bold sauce, such as the one here, which is inspired by a recipe in “Patricia Wells at Home in Provence” (Scribner, 1996). Wells calls for standard Italian pasta; whole grain pastas were not as good 20 years ago as they are today.

Whole Grain Pasta with ?Sausage, Fennel and Red Wine

Makes 4 servings

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

1 teaspoon fennel seed

- Kosher salt

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups dry red wine

2 eggs beaten

1/4 cup (1 ounce) hard grating cheese, such as Vella Dry Jack, Estero Gold, or similar cheese

- Black pepper in a mill

10 ounces medium whole-grain pasta shape (see note below)

Set a large deep skillet over medium-low heat, add the sausage, and use a large fork to break it into small pieces as it cooks. When it loses its raw look, add the fennel seed, season with salt and stir in the tomato paste.

Slowly add the wine, pouring it over the ingredients. Increase the heat slightly so that the wine simmers; cook until all but about ½ cup of wine has evaporated; there should be just a thin layer of liquid over the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat.

Put the eggs into a medium bowl, whisk until smooth, add the cheese and several generous turns of black pepper and mix again. Set aside.

Fill a large pot two-thirds full with water and add 3 tablespoons of salt. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until it is tender but still a bit firm to the bite.

Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking water, and tip the pasta into the sauce. Return the skillet to low heat, and use two forks to toss the pasta and sauce together.

Working quickly, pull the pan from the heat and pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Use the two forks to incorporate the egg mixture and keep tossing until every piece of pasta is evenly coated. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the cooking water, two tablespoons at a time, until it is the consistency you prefer.

Immediately divide among warm soup plates or pasta bowls, top with some black pepper, and enjoy right away.

Note: Community Grains, a California company, makes authentic whole grain pasta from hard wheat grown and milled in the state that is ideal in this dish and with this wine. It is available in several local markets, and you can find more information at communitygrains.com. The best shapes for this dish are torchiette, pipe rigate or creste di gallo.

Michele Anna Jordan hosts Mouthful every Sunday evening at 6 on KRCB-FM. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.