March ’26 Drink Better Wine Club Food Pairing Recipes

For every wine club selection, we love to offer food pairings that allow you to experience the wine at its fullest potential: alongside a great meal. These recipes were created, by Sally, to complement the unique character of each wine and to bring a restaurant-quality experience right into your home.

What we enjoy most each week is sitting down to a well-prepared meal with a wine we’ve hand-selected not only for its quality and value, but for its place at our own table—whether it’s a relaxed weeknight dinner or a weekend celebration. The true pleasure of what we do is sharing that same experience with you: food, wine, company, and the simple luxury of a well-balanced and thoughtful meal.

Plus, I never seem to run out of dinner ideas, and if this makes your life any easier with a few new dinner inspirations, then hell yeah! I worked in restaurants for many years and I love sharing that meal inspiration with our community.

My intention when making the recipes is to create relatively approachable, seasonal and unique dishes that are not too complicated but super tasty!

March ‘26 Drink Better Wine Club Recipes

Lentejas Estofadas (Spanish Lentil Stew with Chorizo & Smoked Paprika)

Serves 2–4

This is classic northern Spanish comfort food—simple ingredients, one pot, and deeply satisfying. The chorizo adds flavor to the lentils as they cook, smoked paprika adds warmth, and a splash of vinegar at the end brightens everything up. It’s hearty but not heavy, and exactly the kind of rustic dish that works so well with a glass of Bierzo Mencía.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried brown or green lentils (Spanish pardina if you can find them)

• 6–8 oz chorizo (bulk or removed from casing)

• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium carrot, diced

• 1 small Yukon Gold potato, diced (optional but traditional)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 cups chicken stock

• Kosher salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 tsp sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

• Small handful chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Start the chorizo

Heat a medium pot over medium heat and cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a spoon if using bulk. Cook for about 4 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.

2. Add the vegetables

Add the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.

3. Build the base

Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the smoked paprika and let it bloom briefly in the oil.

4. Add lentils and liquid

Add the lentils, potato (if using), bay leaf, and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Slow simmer

Cook uncovered at a gentle simmer for about 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.

6. Finish the stew

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the sherry vinegar and taste for salt and pepper. The vinegar brightens the whole dish.

7. Serve

Ladle into bowls and finish with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil if you like

Serving Note

Serve with crusty bread and a glass of Descendientes de José Palacios Bierzo Villa de Corullón. The wine’s bright acidity lifts the earthy lentils and smoky chorizo while its red fruit keeps the dish lively.

Braised Cabbage with Shallots, Parmesan & Apple Chicken Sausage

Serves 2 with leftovers 

Cabbage doesn’t get enough credit. When you sear it hard and then slowly braise it with shallots, garlic, stock, and plenty of Parmesan, it becomes deeply savory and almost buttery. The cabbage absorbs the creamy broth while the edges caramelize in the oven. Finished with apple chicken sausage and crunchy toasted breadcrumbs, the result is comforting, complex, and surprisingly elegant—perfect with a glass of Domaine de la Bergerie Anjou Blanc Sous La Tonnelle.

Ingredients

• 1 medium green cabbage, cut into thick wedges (you may only need half the cabbage)

• 2–3 tbsp olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• 3 shallots, thinly sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• 3 oz cream cheese

• 1 tsp Edmond Fallot tarragon Dijon mustard (available at Denver Wine Merchant)

• 2½ cups chicken stock

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

• 3–4 apple chicken sausages

• 1 cup coarse breadcrumbs made from leftover bread (optional but recommended)

• Extra olive oil for the breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Sear the cabbage

Heat a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Season the cabbage wedges with salt and pepper and sear them until nicely browned on the cut sides. Remove the cabbage from the pan and set aside.

2. Build the base

Add a bit more olive oil to the same pan. Add the sliced shallots and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook another minute until fragrant.

3. Make the braising sauce

Stir in the cream cheese and let it melt into the shallots and garlic. Add the Dijon mustard and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and whisk gently until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan and stir until the sauce comes together.

4. Return the cabbage

Nestle the cabbage wedges back into the pan, spooning some of the sauce over the top.

5. Bake

Place the pan in a 375°F oven and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the sauce is bubbling and lightly caramelized around the edges.

6. Cook the sausage

While the cabbage cooks, sauté or roast the apple chicken sausage until browned and cooked through. Slice into rounds.

7. Make the breadcrumbs (optional)

Toss coarse breadcrumbs with a little olive oil and toast in the oven until golden and crisp.

8. Finish the dish

Transfer the cabbage to a wide serving bowl. Remove the core and chop the cabbage wedges into manageable pieces. Spoon over the braising sauce, then top with sliced chicken sausage and toasted breadcrumbs.

Serving Note

The cabbage absorbs the creamy, cheesy broth and caramelizes in the oven, creating a dish that’s rich yet balanced. It pairs beautifully with Domaine de la Bergerie Anjou Blanc Sous La Tonnelle, whose bright Chenin Blanc acidity cuts through the richness while echoing the savory sweetness of the braised cabbage.

Roasted Beet & Farro Salad with Orange, Herbs, Goat Cheese & Pickled Red Onions

Serves 2–4

This is the kind of grain salad that works year-round. Roasted beets bring sweetness and earthiness, farro adds chew and substance, and orange brightens everything up. Pickled red onions give the dish a sharp, refreshing bite while goat cheese adds creaminess. It’s colorful, vibrant, and exactly the kind of dish that pairs beautifully with a chilled glass of Gamay.

Ingredients

Salad

• 3 medium beets

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• ¾ cup farro

• 1 orange, segmented

• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or mint work well)

Quick Pickled Red Onions

• ½ red onion, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup warm water

• 1 tsp sugar

• ½ tsp salt

Dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Pinch salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Roast the beets

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim and peel the beets, then cut into bite-size wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast on a sheet pan for 30–35 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized. Let cool slightly.

2. Cook the farro

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farro and cook for 20–25 minutes until tender but still pleasantly chewy. Drain and let cool.

3. Make the pickled onions

In a small bowl combine vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt. Add the sliced onions and let sit for 15–20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad.

4. Make the dressing

Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

5. Assemble the salad

In a large bowl combine the farro, roasted beets, orange segments, and herbs. Toss gently with the dressing.

6. Finish the dish

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with crumbled goat cheese and the pickled red onions.

Serving Note

This salad is bright, earthy, and layered with texture. It pairs beautifully with Domaine Rochette “Reggie” Gamay, whose fresh red fruit and lively acidity lift the sweetness of the beets and orange while the herbs and tangy onions echo the wine’s subtle spice.