Pairings: Davis Bynum 2015 Pinot Noir works with lamb, olive oil

Davis Bynum 2015 Russian River Valley Jane's Vineyard Pinot Noir ($55), our Wine of the Week, is a stunner, a gorgeous expression of the varietal in its signature valley.

Aromas are generous, with hints of violet and that sultry quality found only in pinot noir. It is generous on the palate, with bright fruit - especially Santa Rosa plum, Queen Anne cherries and red raspberry - and hints of top soil, mushrooms and licorice root. It is beautifully integrated, with soft tannins and that seductively smooth, satin-like texture that makes people fall in love with the varietal.

The wine is a crowd pleaser at the table, with enough weight to quiet anyone who dares to suggest that pinot noir is wimpy. Yet it is not over-extracted; not even a novice would mistake the wine for, say, a zinfandel, as sometimes happens with pinot noirs that have not been handled gently.

You'll enjoy the wine with rare duck, braised lamb - especially shanks - and such chicken dishes as that French classic, coq au vin. Roasted root vegetables over farro or quinoa will delight vegetarians. Beets are a good match, too, in everything from beet “caviar” to oven-roasted beets and beet risotto.

Bacon, quail, sautéed mushrooms especially chanterelles, black chanterelles and trumpet royales - braised cabbage and black olives also flatter the wine.

Today's recipe is inspired by new olive oil, which is readily available right now. It is the most flavorful olive oil there is, but it must be enjoyed now or you'll have to wait until next year. When it is drizzled over grilled lamb, it is absolutely extraordinary. For side dishes, I recommend roasted butternut squash tossed with cooked quinoa and plenty of chopped Italian parsley. Use it as a bed for the lamb or as a main course if you are sharing this find bottle with a vegetarian.

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Grilled Leg of Lamb with Olio Nuovo

Makes 6 to 8 servings

10-12 large fresh garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon crushed coriander seed

- Black pepper in a mill

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 leg of lamb, preferably local, boned and butterflied, outer slab of fat removed

- 2018 Olio Nuovo

Put the crushed garlic into a suribachi or large mortar, add about half the salt and use a wooden pestle to grind the garlic into a paste. Mix in the coriander, several very generous turns of black pepper and the olive oil.

Set the lamb on a clean work surface. Sprinkle the remaining salt over the lamb and then rub the paste over it, massaging it into every part of the lamb that you can reach. Set in a large baking dish or other container, cover and refrigerate at least two hours and as long as overnight.

To cook the lamb, prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. When the coals are evenly covered with ash, set the lamb on a clean grill rack and cook, turning now and then, until the temperature in the thickest part of the muscle reaches about 120 degrees.

Time will vary based on the heat of the coals, but it should take about 25 to 30 minutes; begin to test after 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with a sheet of foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Use a very sharp knife to carve the lamb into thin slices. Arrange the sliced lamb on a platter, grouping rare, medium rare and well done cuts. Season lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil over the top.

Serve immediately, with more olive oil alongside.

Michele Anna Jordan hosts “Mouthful: Smart Talk About Food, Wine & Farming” every Sunday evening at 6 p.m. on KRCB FM Radio 91. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.