You might also check the website for the winery where you purchased the wine. Many wineries have a chef on staff to create or recommend food pairings for their wines.

A cab?
How about a center portion of beef filet....either enclosed in puff paste and wrapped in proscuitto or topped with fois gras and baked to a lovely rare.
Perhaps herbed oven roasted potatoes, and maybe pan grilled asparagus with a little sesame seeds.
Happy birthday to the DH!
Linda C

Thank you. I checked the winery web site, it's a very small winery and they do not have a chef - a great idea though. The beef in puff pastry with proscuitto sounds excellent. What is the technique for the doing this? I've done tenderloin before but not with a puff pastry. How does it change the cooking process? I was also thinking that stuffed roasted onions might be a nice touch although I have done them before for these friends.

Here are a couple of recipes that are SUPER easy. Adjust as needed for your party....

Pork Saltimbocca with Polenta
From The Best of Cooking Light

6 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed
6 very thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
6 large fresh sage leaves
1/3 cup (about 1 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon thinly-sliced fresh sage

Polenta:
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup instant polenta
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. To prepare pork, place each chop between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Arrange 1 prosciutto slice over each chop top with 1 sage leaf and about 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold chops in half to sandwich filling, and secure with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle both sides of chops with pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place flour in shallow dish; dredge stuffed chops in flour.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.
3. Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 2 minutes). Add 1 cup broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Stir in 1 tablespoon sage. Reduce heat to medium. Return chops to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, turning once.
4. To prepare polenta, bring milk and 1 can broth to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 minutes. Serve polenta immediately with chops and sauce.

The flavor of this dish is phenomenal! Beef Daube Provençal 2 teaspoons olive oil 12 garlic cloves, crushed 1 (2\-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2\-inch cubes 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 1 cup red wine 2 cups chopped carrot 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup less\-sodium beef broth 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme Dash of ground cloves 1 (14.5\-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 bay leaf 3 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 cups uncooked noodles) Chopped fresh thyme (optional) Preheat oven to 300°. Heat olive oil in a small Dutch oven over low heat. Add garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. Increase heat to medium\-high. Add beef to pan. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add garlic, beef, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot, and next 8 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles. Garnish with chopped fresh thyme, if desired. Note: To make in a slow cooker, prepare through Step 2. Place beef mixture in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours. Yield 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup stew and 1/2 cup noodles) Linda

What about a standing Rib Roast or a Crown Roast of Pork? Both have a wow factor, are absolutely delish and very simple to make. Yea the Crown Roaast is "old school" but it is still a great dish! This is my fav Rib roast recipe, it is particularly good with the Brandied Steakside mushrooms.

HERBED RIB ROAST
Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 11 hr
For roast
1 (7- to 8-lb) prime rib roast (sometimes called standing rib roast; 3 or 4 ribs)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil

For jus
2 cups beef broth
1 small fresh rosemary sprig
1 small fresh thyme sprig
1 garlic clove, smashed

Prepare roast: Trim all but a thin layer of fat from roast. Grind peppercorns and bay leaves with salt to a powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder, then transfer to a mortar. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary, then pound to a smooth paste with pestle. Stir in oil. Rub paste all over roast. Transfer roast to a rack set in a small flameproof roasting pan. Marinate, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours.

Cook roast: Let roast stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Roast beef in middle of oven 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and roast beef until a thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 110°F, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours more. Transfer beef to a large platter and let stand, uncovered, 25 minutes. (Meat will continue to cook, reaching about 130°F for medium-rare.)

Make jus: Skim fat from pan juices. Add broth, rosemary, thyme, and garlic and deglaze pan by simmering on top of stove over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Transfer to a small saucepan and add any juices that have collected on platter. Gently simmer 10 minutes. Skim fat and season jus with salt and pepper.

Put slices from roast and serve with jus.

Cooks' note:

Roast can marinate up to 24 hours.

Makes 8 servings.
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Sounds like an occasion to bring out this old recipe:

ROASTED SURF N TURF

2 lobster tails
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. seafood seasoning
1 (3 lb.) whole beef tenderloin
1 Tbs. melted butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
6 slices bacon
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (scallions)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb. Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional) or
1 tsp. chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon (optional)

Place lobster tails, salt and seafood seasoning in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from water and drain. Let cool until able to be handled. Carefully remove lobster tails from shells, keeping meat in one piece. Cut each piece of lobster meat in half lengthwise and set aside.

Cut a horizontal pocket through the center of meat to within 1/2 inch of opposite side of tenderloin, slicing the entire length of tenderloin. Carefully stuff lobster pieces, end to end, inside tenderloin. Combine the 1 Tbs. melted butter and lemon juice; Drizzle on lobster. Fold over tenderloin to resemble original shape and tie with butchers twine. Set aside.

Cook bacon in a skillet until slightly crisp; drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside.

Put beef in shallow pan and brush entire surface of meat with bacon drippings. Insert meat thermometer in center of roast so the point is right below the lobster, making sure it doesnt go all the way through and touch the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 25 minutes or until thermometer registers 130 degrees (rare).

While roast is cooking, saute shallots, green onions, garlic and mushrooms in 1/2 cup butter. Add wine and Worcestershire sauce or tarragon (but not both). Simmer until roast is ready. To serve, remove twine and sprinkle top of meat with crumbled bacon. Serve sauce with sliced tenderloin.

Note: The roast can be stuffed earlier in the day and refrigerated (uncooked). Add a few minutes more cooking time if made ahead. The sauce can also be made ahead and reheated.

This recipe is fabulous . I serve a good cab with it. I find no conflict with the Port in the recipe. I think it's originally a Bon Appetit recipe but several have posted it here.

Another fabulous dish, especially winter in Minnesota, is Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon. I've served it many times at winter dinner parties....very elegant and special. I've attached a link to her recipe rather than retype mine from her book. I love to serve it over broad egg noodles with French Onion Soup as a starter. My dessert of choice is Creme Carmel for a very "French" start to end dinner,

Beef Tenderloin With Roasted Shallots, Bacon And Port

1 1/2 Lb shallots (about 24) halved lengthwise peeled
3 Tbl olive oil
6 Cup beef broth
1 1/2 Cup tawny Port
1 Tbl tomato paste
2 3 Lb beef tenderloins trimmed
2 Tsp thyme
7 bacon slices chopped
6 Tbl butter
1 1/2 Tbl all purpose flour
1 Bunch watercress (I omit)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375F. In 9-inch- diameter pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Boil broth and Port in large saucepan until reduced to 3 3/4 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste.~ (Shallots and broth mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.)

Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In large roasting pan set over medium heat, saut bacon until golden, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium-high heat, about 7 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven; roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125F for medium-rare, about 45 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil. Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place roasting pan over high heat. Add broth mixture and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer to medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Mix 3 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season sauce with salt and pepper.~
Cut beef into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon some sauce over. Garnish with watercress. Pass remaining sauce.

Serves 12.

Sharon that is my favorite recipe for tenderloin. Ive made it several times and it never fails me!

Alexa