To celebrate the 4th of July and a rare day off together, I tried a variation on a meal I recently made from Pinterest. I took the original recipe for a Pinwheel Flank Steak and changed it up a bit. Instead of the Italian seasonings, fresh basil and mozzarella, I went spicy. I used chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, cilantro and Mexican cheese. I grilled it on the grill for about twenty minutes. To go with it I made a salad and roasted Brussels sprouts. The meat was spicy with a bit of heat, not overwhelming, but definitely left you with a warm mouth. I think I liked the spicy version better.

For the wine I opened a bottle of TerrAmore, Nero D’Avola, a Sicilian wine, vintage 2014. The wine was a dark red purple color in the glass. I smelled alcohol and a smoky aroma too. The wine was dry with chocolate and cherry notes. There was a smoky bite at the end. The wine had a medium finish that was a bit harsh, more so than other Nero D’Avolas I’ve had.

The wine was still very drinkable, but I think for the spicy meat, I should have gone with a Pinot Noir, a blend or a Zinfandel, something more fruit forward or jammie.