Originating in South America, ceviche is a traditional Spanish fish dish marinated in a lemon and lime juice. The acidity in the citrus fruit acts in a way that "cooks" the proteins in the fish, contributing to its other purpose of adding flavor. This Halibut Mango Ceviche from Stolpman Vineyards takes the usual lemon and lime juice as step one in a simple, yet flavorful recipe, then escalates the fun with the addition of tequila, jalapeno chili peppers, green bell pepper and onions. Together, they all combine nicely to give the dish style with a little kick. The marinating time to prepare the recipe comes to a full two hours but the results are well worth the wait.

When searching for an appropriate wine to pair with a dish that offers a hot and spicy crispness, wine with ripe fruit flavors and a hint of sugar will compliment the spice in food. The Stolpman 2005 Angeli Blanc is a refreshing off-dry, "Late Harvest" wine made from the Rousanne grape, a grape typically used in Stolpman's flagship white wine, "L'Avion." In November of 2005, while picking the Rousanne, the winemaking crew at Stolpman noticed early indications of "noble-rot", also known as Botrytis, on some of the grapes. Botrytis is the mold that makes grapes more concentrated in sugar and, ultimately, flavor - as well as giving them a shriveled appearance. Stolpman's head winemaker Sashi Moorman allowed the grapes to stay on the vine and develop more flavors before he pressed the grapes and fermented the juice until nearly dry.

The resulting wine is something magical, and we named it "Angeli Blanc" after "Angeli", our most prized Syrah.  Left with approximately 1% residual sugar and a hint of effervescence, this wine is the ultimate pairing for spicy food, especially when served well chilled.

You can experience Stolpman wines at their tasting room's new location in Los Olivos. It's at 2434 Alamo Pintado Avenue, 1/2 block east of the flagpole in the charming little red cottage with the white picket fence. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, until 6 p.m. on Friday. For more information, (805) 688-0400 or visit www.stolpmanvineyards.com.

Halibut Mango Ceviche

• 1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless halibut, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 3 jalapeno chili peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced

• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
• 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Combine cubed halibut, lime juice, lemon juice, tequila,
minced jalapeno peppers and one diced mango in a non-metallic bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours.

After the ceviche has marinated for 1-1/2 hours, add the green pepper, sweet onion and red onion. Mix well, then recover and refrigerate another 30 minutes.
Fold in the remaining diced mango, cilantro and parsley; season to taste with salt before serving.