I don't know the recipe or ingredients, so bear with me.

I am leaving for Maine, my ancestral motherland , on Thursday for eight days. I am leaving my home, two Collies and four cats in the capable care of my next-door neighbors (who, as luck would have it, have the same number of pets, and we often trade these duties).

I want to reward them for taking good care of the homestead over the Christmas holiday, so I am going to supply them with wine for their Christmas dinner. The lady neighbor is quite a cook and the whole family appreciates wine, but are not truly serious about it.

For example, I brought bottles of '01 MP Shiraz, '01 CSM Eroica, and Chambers Fine Tokay to Thanksgiving and they were very interested and having fun experimenting with these wines that they had never before experienced.

So, we've got 6 adults for Christmas dinner. I'll pick the non-entree matching wines, but am wondering what you would suggest pairing with Pork Loin with Madeira sauce? I was thinking "Melville PN", until she mentioned the sauce. Without knowing any further details, what do your instincts tell you for an appropriate wine pairing?

Thank you in advance.

Hey Stemor,

That dish sounds yummylicious.

What struck me was a strong-ish, clean tasting red. The sauce is going to have some serious currant and earthiness to it - very rich. You don't want a wine that is going to fold or one that overpowers. And I would think you want some tannins.

I'm thinking Pinot Noir may be too subtle. Probably something more like a CdP or Zin, though the Zin would be a far second. Zin would be a little too much for a Madeira sauce.

That dish makes my mouth water. I am craving 99 Paloma merlot with it. Call me crazy.

Well, Crazy, ...

I now have two people whos tastes I trust more than my own. Could I take the two pieces of advice ("something with tannin" and "merlot") and combine them to come up with, say, a '00 Spring Valley Uriah?

As we all now know (thnks to Harvey Steiman ), the Uriah is 60% Merlot and 34% Cab Franc. So would this work, or would you go for something a "little less subtle" ... like, say, a '98 St Hallett's Old Block Shiraz?

One other thought: I have some '01 MP Sarah's Blend. This same group of people really enjoyed the '01 MP Shiraz. Think I should go this route, remembering that I'll be including at least three other bottles of wine to go with the rest of the meal, so it's not like I'm trying to be cheap.

Thank you!

Stemor -

I'm thinking that the dish will have some sweetness to it, and so agree that Pinot is not the best choice. I would think the MP Shiraz or a nice Zin should fit the bill well.

Post notes

I appreciate the input, Eric. You seem to be thinking the same as LilacWine and Winebrat.

Sadly, I'll be out of town so I won't get to enjoy any of my wines or the food that goes with them.

Personally I would head towards a ripe Grenache dominant wine. Mayhap a Gigondas. Slightly spiced but with good robust characters and solid sweet fruit. Just an idea, otherwise I would head for a really really ripe merlot. I think you'll need something with a little spice to it though.

EDIT: Cause I'm a crap typist and a worse speller.

Oh yes, oh baby! GIGONDAS! Dang it! Where's my brain?

DON'T ANSWER THAT!

Stemor - Gigondas would be perfect! But get a vintage that isn't overpowered by tannins and warn your friends to open it a couple of hours before the meal.

LW et al,

I went with Marquis Philips "Sarah's Blend" as the entree wine.

Also included a Chehalem Pinot Gris, Melville Pinot Noir, and bottles of Rosenblum Late Harvest Viognier and Boony Doon Framboise, since she wasn't sure if she was going with an apple-based or chocolate-based concoction for desert.

Love your dessert wine choices Stemor That Framboise mighty tasty stuff, like biting into a super sweet fresh raspberry. The Rosenblum ain't too shabby either.