Burgers, BBQ and Wine

As the end of my vacation draws near, I am reflecting on what a wonderful trip it has been. Over the past couple of weeks I have spent my time seeing family, relaxing, reading, eating and - you guessed it - sailing. It has been such a welcome break from the daily chaos of simultaneously running a business and a family, and a much-needed one at that! Of course, my brain hasn't completely turned away from the winery. There is just so much going on right now with our new consumer tasting experiences, bottling in full swing before harvest starts, and the anniversary of the date that we received our use permit 40 years ago coming up. With all of these exciting things going on, it has been a tad difficult to keep my mind completely focused on relaxing.

However, when our 2009 Heritage Zinfandel was named one of the "Best Burger Wines" out of a 30-bottle taste test, I immediately snapped back into vacation mode. Why? Because one of the best parts of a summer vacation is eating outside and enjoying a great barbequed meal with family and friends. I love burgers, but I have to confess that my favorite BBQ dinner with our Heritage Zinfandel is my dad's famous 'Zinful Flank Steak'. With only a few days left in my vacation, I am going to make sure this recipe hits the grill before I hit the road!

Method:

Steak marinade: Combine ingredients and marinate flank steak overnight. It is important to first pierce the steak all over with a fork so that the marinade can better penetrate and tenderize the meat.

Zinfandel sauce: Combine ingredients in non-reactive saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer to reduce by one-half. Remove from heat and cool. Remove steak from marinade. Add reserved marinade to sauce mixture and puree in the food processor. Grill, broil or pan fry steak over high heat; cook to medium rare. Cut thin slices across the grain. Serve with heated sauce.

Serves 6