Dinner at Le Salbuen with a Jumilla Monastrell, an Enticing Wine Pairing

When passionate people come together greatness happens, this makes us especially happy when that greatness is in our own neighborhood. Fine chefs and artists, Christina Buenano Salierno and John David Salierno, opened this fabulous little café and market on Walnut Street in Montclair in the spring a year ago and it keeps getting better.

The wine was a Monastrell from Jumilla a lovely town and wine region and very old vineyard in southeastern Spain. It was quite happy here, don’t you love the delicate flowery crystal wine glasses, they are an expression of Christina and John’s attention to every artistic detail.

The Wine: Bodegas Olivares Monastrell, Altos de la Hoya $

The Food: Inspired salads, meats and desserts, Salierno creations.

The Place: Café La Salbuen Montclair, an artists and epicurean’s wonderland.

Dinner began with a surprise, a delightful complimentary taste of braised duck on a crisp wafer with preserves and nuts.

The wine I chose is from Bodegas Olivares in Spain, I thought it would pair well with the Latin influenced dishes here. This Monastrell is a soft wine with gentle yet pungent flavors, a nice compliment to the subtle yet fulfilling flavors of the dishes.

Le Salbuen Beet and Pear Salad

The fruit for this wine comes from vines that date back to 1872 in the Finca Hoya de Santa Ana vineyard, this particular bottling comes from a parcel at the highest point of the vineyard, they call it Altos de la Hoya...meaning the "highest from La Hoya".

Known as Mourvèdre in France, the wine from this grape varies a lot depending on where it is produced. Some Mourvèdre wines have a wild game and/or earthy nature but always soft red fruit flavors. In this wine the earthy notes were less pronounced, the soft red fruit prevailed.

It paired well with both, these fresh from the garden vegan salads and..

Le Salbuen Garden Salad

As well as flavorsome meat dishes we enjoyed.

Mangalitsa pork bacon burger topped with organic apples that have been caramelized and served on a Balthazar brioche bun, with hand-cut fries, dusted with Christina and John’s home grown grown herbs.

Le Salbuen Tacos Special, delicious meat and vegetables over tasty rich corn tacos.

Josh Raynolds of International Wine Cellar describes the wine as “glass-staining purple. Powerful dark berry preserve aromas, with pungent floral and herbal qualities adding complexity. Alluringly sweet in the mouth, with deep blackberry and candied cherry flavors showing impressive intensity and power. The lingering, lucid finish features broad, velvety tannins.”