Enjoying BBQ Steak with Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer’s Blend WinePR SAMPLE 

My first BBQ of 2024 was a few days ago. I grilled steak and opened a bottle of Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer’s Blend red wine from Sonoma, California. It is a blend of 30% Petite Syrah, 30% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 15% Teroldego, and 5% other reds. Tom Gore is a second-generation grape farmer from Sonoma County and from the time he learned to walk, he was stomping alongside his dad, getting dirty and taking care of the grapes. “Much like a chef needs outstanding ingredients to let a dish shine, a winemaker needs high-quality grapes to make a very good wine.” (Tom Gore)

I took the time to marinade and prepare my steak dinner and Tom Gore works his vineyards with the care of a chef needing outstanding ingredients, so I thought to pair my dinner and the Tom Gore wine together.  It should be a complementary pairing.  Was it?  Read on.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer’s Blend, NV (BC $18.99 BC Liquor on sale till June 1, 2024)

Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer's Blend with wine in glass
Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer’s Blend with wine in glass

Appearance: A deep, dull ruby colour in the glass. 
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of dark berries, plums, black cherry and touches of black pepper, smokiness and sweet spices. No changes with decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry with a lighter body. Smooth but starts lean and then gets rounder with air. Medium acidity and lighter tannins. Dark berry fruits, plums, plus touches of black pepper and cocoa on the palate. With decanting, the wine moves up to medium body and has a rounder mouthfeel.  The residual sugar in the wine becomes more apparent, plus I pick up a floral component to the wine.  
Finish: A medium to medium-plus length finishing with more acidity than tannins.  A bit puckering.  Dark berry fruit flavours, a little jammy and peppery.  The berry fruit becomes sweeter with air.  Medium length with decanting and you can add floral flavour to the dark berry fruit flavours. The acidity level drops a bit and you get slightly firmer tannins.

No need to decant this wine, unless you enjoy a floral component to your red wine.

Rating: 4 stars  A deep, dull ruby colour in the glass. Medium-intensity aromas of dark berries, plums, black cherry and touches of black pepper, smokiness and sweet spices. Dry with a lighter body. Smooth but lean to start and then gets rounder with air. Medium acidity and lighter tannins. Dark berry fruits, plums, plus touches of black pepper and cocoa on the palate. A medium to medium-plus length.  

Pairing Wine With Steak

Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer's Blend paired with steak
Tom Gore Vineyards Farmer’s Blend paired with steak

I marinated the steak for several hours before grilling so I did not have to add any flavouring to the steak after grilling.  The pairing with my BBQ steak was quite complimentary. Although the wine’s tannins were light, the acidity and dark berry fruit flavours were heightened with each bite of steak. If you have not tried roasting baby potatoes on the grill, it works well. It took about 20 minutes to cook and they have lots of flavour. I added olive oil and spices to the potatoes before putting them on the grill in a tray.

Where Can I Buy This Wine?

This wine is available in BC, Ontario, and Alberta: ON $19.95 | BC $21.99 | AB SRP $20.00

Author: mywinepal
Drink Good Wine. That is my motto and I really want to help you drink good wine. What is good wine? That can be a different thing for each people. Food also loves wine so I also cover food and wine pairings, restaurant reviews, and world travel. Enjoy life with me. MyWinePal was started by Karl Kliparchuk, WSET. I spent many years with the South World Wine Society as the President and then cellar master. I love to travel around the world, visiting wine regions and sharing my passion for food & wine with you. Come live vicariously through me, and enjoy all my recommended wines.