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Interesting transition at Round Peak Vineyards, a pretty cool winery near Mt. Airy. Former owners Lee and Janet Martin and George and Susan Little have given way to the new guard: Kari Heerdt and Ken Gulaian. This husband-wife team is every bit as committed to good North Carolina wines.

Round Peak’s blend, from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Merlot, is a flexible red for holiday tables, boasting plum, black cherry, raspberry with medium tannins. It's fashioned from 2006, 2007, and 2008 vintages. The blend honors Tommy Jarrell, a legendary folk musician with the fiddle and the banjo. Jarrell’s vocals and instrumentation are considered the epitome of old-style Blue Ridge Mountain music. The Mount Airy native died in 1985 after playing for more than nearly 30 years.

Both the munchies, wine (and music) have kick.

Ingredients:

4 pounds chicken drumettes/wings
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
2 garlic cloves

Special equipment: 1 large disposable aluminum roasting pan, about 16 x 12 x 2**

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 450°F.  Place the chicken wings/drummetts  in the roasting pan in a single layer.
* In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining ingredients; pour over the wings.
* Bake in the upper third of the oven for 50 minutes; turn wings and continue to bake for another 45 minutes or until the liquid is thick and sticky.  Remove immediately from pan to a serving platter.