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The 2006 Uwharrie Merlot offers gobs of cherry and plum and blueberry fruit with only the faintest of tannin. With about six and a half months in oak, the winemaker was trying  to get hints of coffee on the finish.

Uwharrie Vineyards is among North Carolina’s newest wineries, producing a range of vinifera-based wines along with some Muscadine wines as well.

This recipe would also work well against a French Beaujolais or a fruity Spanish Grenache.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Beet-Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

Marinade:

2/3 cup Uwharrie Vineyards Merlot wine

½ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon minced orange zest

½ cup sliced yellow onion

½ teaspoon each of toasted and crushed mustard seed and aniseed.

1 Bay Leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme
 

Sauce:

8 ounces beets, ends trimmed

Vegetable oil for beets

¾ cup cranberry juice

1 ¾ cups chicken stock

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water
 
2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds)
 

Directions:

For marinade, combine wine, orange juice, zest, onion, mustard seed, aniseed, Bay Leaf, and thyme in medium mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.

Place pork tenderloins in large, sealed plastic bag and add marinade. Refrigerate this for 4 hours.

Remove pork from marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinade for use in sauce.

For sauce, preheat oven 350 degrees. Wash, pat dry and oil the beets. Place beets on a roasting pan and roast for 60 minutes until cooked through and skins shrivel. Cool, pull off skin and cut into ¼ inch dice. Set aside for use in sauce.

In medium sauté pan, add reserved marinade (remove Bay Leaf) and bring to boil. Reduce heat, continue simmer until reduced by half.

Add cranberry juice, chicken stock, vinegar, and beats and simmer until all reduced by half.

Add cornstarch mixture and continue to reduce until sauce thickens. Optional: Stir in 2 Tablespoons of butter if desired.

Grill pork over hot coals for 8-10 minutes. Turn and cook 5-6 minutes. Do not overcook. Keep warm in aluminum foil.

When ready to serve, spoon sauce evenly over plates. Slice pork and place atop sauce.