Apricots with chardonnay

Apricot season is a great time to enjoy a California chardonnay, including our Wine of the Week, Au Bon Climat 2009 Santa Barbara Chardonnay ($16.99).

Although a couple of other varietals - notably, gewerztraminer and viognier - will be flattered by summer's most fleeting fruit, in the end it is chardonnay that is the apricot's soulmate, Heathcliff to its Cathy, Romeo to its Juliet, Rhett to its Scarlett.

But without the tragedy.

This match is all voluptuous pleasure, which you can enhance at the table by making the right choices for accompaniments.

The wine is opulent and generous, with a buttery richness underscored by just a suggestion of sweet toast, as if your neighbor has just slathered grilled brioche with butter and you catch the aromas on the wind.

Flavors swirl as you sip, suggesting exotic tropical fruits - cherimoyas, ripe papaya, dragon fruit and, if you have a subtle imagination, the infamous durian.

Yet the winemaker, Jim Clendenen, has shown restraint, as he always does.

There's enough pretty acidity that it is refreshing on the palate and will engage with an array of green vegetables, especially English peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas, green beans and fresh favas,.

As you would expect, the wine is excellent with a fish and shellfish.

For something simple and delightful, try it with a simple pan-roasted fillet of turbot served over wilted spinach and drizzled with beurre blanc.

It is also a great choice with fresh corn and salmon chowder.

For today's recipe, I paired pork tenderloin with apricots and snow peas accented with bacon and sesame seeds.

Although the recipe is quite simple, it offers up layers of flavor that engage the complexities of the wine.

Pork Tenderloin with Apricots, Bacon, Snow Peas & Sesame Seeds

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1 pork tenderloin

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

2 tablespoons butter

? cup apricot jam

? cup dry white wine

3 bacon slices

3 to 4 apricots, halved

8 ounces snow peas

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Season the pork all over with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy saute pan set over medium high heat, sear the pork and remove from the heat.

Put the apricot jam and wine in a small pan over low heat and stir until warm and smooth; season with salt and pepper.

Set the tenderloin on a rack in a roasting pan and brush it with the apricot jam mixture.

Set the pork on the middle rack of the oven and roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Brush with marmalade once or twice during cooking.

While the pork cooks, fry the bacon in the pan in which you cooked the pork until it is just crisp.

Transfer the pork to absorbent paper to drain and add the apricots to the pan, cut side down.

Saute for about 2 minutes and then use tongs to transfer the apricots to the roasting rack with the pork for the final 8 minutes or so of cooking.

Chop or crumble the bacon.

Remove the pork and apricots from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.

Working quickly, set the saute pan over medium high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and when it is melted, add the snow peas and saute about 3 to 4 minutes, until heated through but still crisp.

To serve, cut the pork into 1/4-inch thick diagonal slices and arrange on individual plates.

Add apricots and snow peas alongside.

Scatter bacon over the pork and apricots; scatter sesame seeds over pork, apricots and snow peas. Serve immediately.

Michele Anna Jordan hosts "Mouthful" each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM. E-mail Jordan at michele@ micheleannajordan.com. You'll find her blog, "Eat This Now," at pantry. blogs.pressdemocrat.com/