2009 Trentadue Old Patch Red and Lamb Stew With Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

By West Village Bill

My sweetheart, Tony P., picked up a mostly zinfandel California red wine the other day after tasting it at our local wine shop, and we've both really taken a liking to it—and have bought several more bottles. It's the 2009 Trentadue Old Patch Red, which is made from a mix of 77% zinfandel, 11% petite sirah, 11% carignane, and 1% sangiovese.

The Old Patch Red has typical-for-zinfandel dark-berry-and-spice flavors, including a touch of anise, and a nice aroma with a hint of maple. It's a round, satisfying wine at a bargain price of $15.

We had a bottle Friday night with a delicious variation of Lamb and Sweet Potato Pie that Tony has made for me twice now. He makes a stew rather than a shepherd's pie–type dealie, and he tweaks the spices a bit, including leaving out the star anise. He uses the freshly grated nutmeg, though, like Martha says to, and the whole dish is a wonderful melange of fruity, spicy, earthy, meaty deliciousness.