French Pan Bagnat with rosé is perfect for a picnic

I rarely if ever use a sports analogy to convey a point, but when it comes to our Wine of the Week, the Naidu, 2020 Sonoma Coast Rosé of Pinot Noir ($30), I simply cannot resist. This wine is an over-the-fence home run, a delight from first sip to last.

Unlike many contemporary rosés, this one is deeply colored, closer to watermelon juice than to the juice of a white peach.

In the bottle and in the glass, the wine glows. It is as refreshing as a cool starry night.

On first sip, you’ll notice beautiful acidity, suggestive of Genoa lemons, which have none of the sweetness of a Meyer lemon. As the acidity resolves, it’s almost as if you are unwrapping a present for your mouth, as other flavors – strawberries, orange raspberries, clementines – emerge, tickling both your palate.

Although I enjoy rosé year round, even in the dead of winter, this is a fabulous summer wine, delightful with the season’s harvest of fresh fruit, succulent tomatoes, sweet peppers, sweet onions and fresh garlic.

The Provençal extravaganza known as Grand Aioli or Aioli Monstre is a fabulous match. It consists, typically, of a big bowl of freshly made aioli with seasonal vegetables – little potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, French breakfast radishes, young lettuce leaves and beets are all commonly used – along with poached octopus or salt cod, hard-cooked eggs and good bread.

The wine is also excellent with pissaladiere, a Provençal pizza-style tart, and pretty much anything you might enjoy in the South of France in the summer, including traditional bouillabaisse. It is extraordinary with our local wild Pacific King salmon, too.

For today’s recipe, I’m inspired, as I often am, by France. There, this classic sandwich is made with canned tuna. In the US, I think it is better to use fresh fish, as our canned tuna tends to overpower other ingredients. This sandwich is ideal for a picnic. All you need to do is toss it in your cooler along with two bottles of this lovely wine, and head to your favorite picnic spot.

Sonoma Pan Bagnat

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 pound tombo albacore, cut into 4 slices

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Olive oil

2 ounces anchovy fillets, drained

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ cup best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

1 1-pound sourdough loaf

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and patted dry

3 tablespoons olives, preferably niçoise, pitted and sliced

1 small red onion, cut into very thin rounds

2 medium tomatoes, preferably heirloom from The Patch, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

2 roasted sweet peppers, cut into medium julienne

3 hard-cooked farm eggs, peeled and sliced

Season the tombo all over with salt and pepper. Set it in a heavy sauté pan that will hold it in a single layer and add enough olive oil to completely submerge the fish. Set over medium low heat and cook gently for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the tuna to a plate or bowl. Set it aside.

Put the anchovies and garlic into a small bowl, add the vinegar and olive oil, and set it aside.

Cut the bread in half lengthwise and open it onto a clean work surface. Use your fingers to pull out most of the bread from the bottom half, leaving the crust/shell and about ½ to ¾-inch of soft insides. Repeat with the top half.

Use a pastry brush or spoon to coat the cut surfaces of the bread with the oil and vinegar mixture, pressing the ingredients into the bread and using all of it.

Break the tombo into large chunks, put it into a medium bowl, add the capers and olives, and toss together very gently; do not over mix. Spoon the mixture over the bottom half of the bread.

Top the tuna first with onions and and next with tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Add the sweet peppers, top with the eggs and season again with salt, and pepper.

Close the sandwich with the top half of the bread, pressing down to secure it. Wrap first in wax paper or parchment and then in either plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Let rest at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before slicing and enjoying. The sandwich can also be stored overnight in the refrigerator.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.