2017 Zinfandel Reserve, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley100% Zinfandel • 15.2% Alcohol • $75 Retail • $60 Club Viva

The wine made from this vineyard is like drinking a history lesson in viticultural antiquity; it is an absolute treat. In certain vintages of this wine, it is possible to smell the iron-rich soil in which the grapes were grown, and this is one of those vintages. Dig deep into the aromas of this wine. This beauty has aromas and flavors of briary raspberry, honeycomb, milk chocolate, cacao, strawberry, that unmistakable Monte Rosso minerality, and beautiful spice from the oak.

Epic and enduring like a long read, I recommend the 933-page wild ride, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. A novel based on the real-life escapades of the author, who escaped from jail and ended up running guns and drugs for the Bombay Mafia, Roberts wrote Shantaram while serving the balance of his prison sentence after he was captured. This writing is so vivid, I felt like I was traveling through India with the protagonist.

www.rockwallwines.com

Teriyaki London Broil

1 to 1 ¼ lb. boneless top round about 1” thick

1 cup soy sauce

¹/³ cup white granulated sugar

1 tsp. finely chopped ginger

1. Remove steak from refrigerator and leave on counter for 20 minutes to bring to room temperature.

2. Preheat broiler to high. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove ½ cup of sauce for basting.

3. Place steak on rack of broiler pan; brush generously with basting sauce.

4. Broil 4 inches from heat for 10 minutes. Turn and brush with remaining reserved sauce. Broil an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until desired doneness.

5. Mix cornstarch with water and add to mixture in sauce pan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes

6. Let steak stand for 10 minutes. Slice diagonally across the grain. Stir scallions into sauce and serve with steak.

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup cold water

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions