Food and wine pairings are kind of our jam. As lovers of the wine country lifestyle, our ideal weekend is spent in the kitchen, seasoning and sipping new recipes and old favorites too.

We’re excited to open up our recipe collection to share with you our favorite things to nibble alongside Sea Bird Wines, courtesy of our winemaker, Patrick Durbin! Here’s the recipe for his (not-a-secret-anymore) Seven Spice Moroccan Lamb Rub:

2 Tbl turmeric

2 Tbl smoked paprika 

1 Tbl cumin

2 tsp garlic powder or two cloves minced garlic

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg 

Salt to taste

Mix together and rub lamb chops on all sides. Refrigerate at least six hours or up to day.

Grill (or bake in the oven at 400) about 8-10 min or until chops are 140 degrees at their thickest part.

Enjoy paired with any vintage of our Sea Bird Pinot Noir, though it is particularly delicious when paired with our 2014 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. Everything to love about California Pinot Noir is bottled up here, with polished tannins, lush red fruits and hints of leather and cocoa as the wine has aged gracefully, with its greatest years ahead!

When pairing food and wine, you want to looks for things that balance each other. That’s why we reach for a our Pinot Noir with these bright and vibrant spices. As a rule with spicy/spiced foods, you can always depend on either off-dry whites, dry whites, and light reds. A Pinot Noir is a perfect light bodied red option, as the lighter tannins will let the food shine while the bright acidity will highlight the unique earthy tones of the spices like turmeric and allspice.

Want to see the recipe in action? Check out our Instagram Reels to see our spice mixing yourself!