Main Course: Broiled Salmon with Olive Oil and Lemon- Salmon seems to taste best when cooked with just a bit of acid. In this recipe there lemon is combined with olive oil and brushed on the fish and then covered with herbs and spices to bridge it nicely to this earthy, slightly herbaceous Tempranillo. The pairing worked very well; the herbs brining out the dill in the wine and the crusty topping working well with the toast in the wine from the oak aging.
Side: Almond and Mushroom Rice - The mushrooms and herbs used in the rice made a nice compliment to similar flavors in the wine.

Wine: 1996 Vina Real Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain: This is a nicely aged wine that has become almost delicate, but with great balance and mature flavors and tannins. It has enough acid to make it work nicely with the rice and salmon. The nose was blackberry, cherry, cherry, vanilla, caramel and some nice herbs, primarily dill. The palate had some wonderful olive, a return of the dill and just a bit of red fruit. There was a spicy meatiness in the finish and some very nice toastiness that worked beautifully with the broiled salmon.