Cocoa Spiced Pork Tenderloin & Merlot

A great food and wine paring is one of life’s simple pleasures. I was inspired tonight by my spice cabinet, namely my cocoa spice rub from Napa Style. This is a delicious blend of cinnamon, grey salt, unsweetened cocoa powder, coriander, nutmeg, cloves & pepper. This makes for a delicious crust on pork and beef.

I paired this cocoa spiced pork tenderloin paired with a fruity, elegant Merlot. I used Michael Chiarello’s recipe Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Spice Rub for tonight’s main course. You can also buy the cocoa spice rub online at Napa Style.

There are a varietals that come to mind with this dish namely a Merlot and a Zinfandel. I would normally navigate away from a Merlot with pork tenderloin because it’s so lean and you really don’t need a high tannic structure for leaner meats. However, I really love the way the bright plum fruit in Merlot enhances the cocoa notes in the spice.

It’s unfortunate that Merlot gets such a bad wrap. Who can forget the movie Sideways and the main character Miles’ disdain for Merlot. The irony in the movie comes when he is describing his most treasured bottle of wine in his collection and he refers to a Right Bank Bordeaux which just so happens to be a Merlot dominant blend. That little fact is never mentioned in the movie. A little trivia for you! Anyhow, I digress. While there are plenty of bad Merlots out there, there are also many of bad Pinots, Cabs and any other varietals too, but there are also a lot of really great Merlots on the market. Here are a few great producers including a great value out of Washington State and a splurge out of Napa!

Recommended Producers

Seven Falls Merlot, Wahluke Slope, Washington State (SRP: $14)
Charles Krug Merlot, Napa, California (SRP: $25)
Pride Mountain Merlot, Napa, California (SRP: $55)

I also like they way a Zinfandel brings out the spice notes in the rub. Either way, you really can’t go wrong with this dish. Pork tenderloin, much like poultry is pretty bland on its own, so your seasoning and sauces really matter when selecting the right wine.