Sebastiani Alexander Valley

Merlot Perfectly Paired

with Sautéed Veal and Olives

“My father, August Sebastiani, never believed in just a salad, an apple and a cup of green tea when he came in from the vineyards or winery for lunch,” Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo recalls, “and the veal, given a special flavor boost by the olives, was more to his liking when served over white rice, pasta or mother’s choice – polenta. While it is a relatively simple recipe to prepare, my mother loved to serve it to her bridge group because the rich warm wine and the slightly sharp tang of the green olives lifted the recipe out of the ordinary and always impressed the ladies around the card tables.”
Although Mary Ann’s choice of a wine to pair with the Veal Sautéed with Olives is the Sebastiani Sonoma County Merlot, she recommends using a white wine, such as Chardonnay as an ingredient in the dish because a red wine would color the veal and make the dish less attractive.
Winemaker Mark Lyon is in complete agreement with Mary Ann’s wine choice as a companion for the veal. “The herbal flavors in the rich and full-bodied 2004 Sonoma County Merlot work well with the olives, parsley and sage in the dish which serves equally as well as a dinner entrée as it does as the centerpiece for a filling lunch.”
Both the Chardonnay and the Merlot may be sampled at the long, marble tasting bar in the hospitality hall of Sebastiani Winery at 389 Fourth St. East, in Sonoma. More of the treasured recipes of the Sebastiani family may also be found in “Mangiamo,” Sylvia Sebastiani’s collection of traditional and personally created Italian dishes for sale in the Sylvia’s Kitchen area of the hall, along with foodstuffs prepared by Mary Ann from her own and her mother’s recipes.
Sebastiani Vineyard is located at 389 Fourth Street East, Sonoma CA 95476; phone is (707) 933-3200, web is Sebastiani.com. The tasting room – which gives a strong evocation of an Italian enoteca – is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for tastings, tours and sales.

SAUTÉED VEAL WITH OLIVES   

• 1-1/2 pounds veal, cut like stew meat
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• Salt, pepper, garlic salt – to taste
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp. sage
• 3/4 cup Sebastiani Chardonnay,
or other dry, white wine
• 1/2 cup hard green olives
Brown veal in oil and butter, adding salt, pepper and garlic salt to all sides. Turn frequently with spatula until brown. Add garlic, parsley, sage and heated wine. Add olives and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until veal is tender. Add more wine if you wish the veal to be more moist.

Pair with Sebastiani Vineyards
Alexander Valley Merlot.

For more Sebastiani family recipes, look for
Mangiamo: The Sebastiani Family Cookbook,
by Sylvia Sebastiani.
Available for purchase at www.sebastiani.com
and the Sebastiani Marketplace
in the Hospitality Center. 

Related Information

• Sebastiani Vineyards