Quinoa salad with merlot

Our Wine of the Week, Souverain 2008 Sonoma County Merlot ($16), is big, juicy, fruity and hot, with a bold 14.8 percent alcohol. It's like a summer afternoon in an inland valley, grill roaring, succulent ribs over the fire.

There's plenty of oak in this wine, which shows itself in both the complex tannins and in the threads of sweet spice that weave through ripe black fruit, especially blueberry, black currants, black plums and juicy ripe black raspberries.

For a flawless, exuberant match, serve this wine with short ribs braised in beef stock and red wine, with scalloped potatoes alongside. The wine is also perfect alongside red beans, ham hocks, sausage and rice.

Both of these dishes are best in cold weather. So what about summer fare?

Almost anything from the grill will welcome this wine, especially ribs, burgers, pizzas and such. It's also a good choice with sweet potato salad dressed with honey vinaigrette. Roasted sweet peppers, dead-ripe tomatoes and corn on the cob slathered with browned butter are good options, too.

For today's recipe, I'm taking inspiration from both the flavors of the wine and its ruby glow.

Quinoa, with its earthy, almost dusty taste, is a good match with merlot. And when you cook the seed — it's not a grain, as is widely believed — with a red beet, it takes on a lovely scarlet glow, which resonates with the wine's pretty color.

With a red-wine vinaigrette spiked with two sweet spices and additional sweetness from currants and fresh corn, you have a lovely salad to enjoy neat or as an accompaniment to grilled meats or vegetables.

Ruby Quinoa Salad with Corn, Currants and Clove Vinaigrette

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1? cups quinoa, well rinsed and drained

1 medium red beet, peeled and minced

— Kosher salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

— Clove Vinaigrette, recipe follows

1 fresh ear of corn, shucked and grilled or boiled for 2 minutes

? cup dried currants, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes

— Black pepper in a mill

8 to 10 Italian basil leaves, shredded

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Pour 2? cups water into a medium saucepan and set over high heat. When the water boils, add the rinsed quinoa, minced beets, a generous teaspoon or so of salt and the vinegar. When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Without uncovering, remove from the heat and let rest 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and transfer to a wide shallow serving bowl.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette if you have not already done so and cut the kernels of corn from the cob.

Add the corn and currants to the cooked quinoa and pour the dressing over it. Use 2 forks to toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the basil and parsley, toss and serve.

Clove Vinaigrette

Makes about 2/3 cup

1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons best-quality red-wine vinegar

— Kosher salt

? teaspoon ground clove

— Pinch of ground cardamom

— Black pepper in a mill

6 to 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put the shallot into a medium bowl, add the vinegar, season with salt and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the ground clove, cardamom, vinegar and several turns of black pepper, stir in the olive oil, taste and correct for salt.

Use immediately or store, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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/