Pair this pinot with Cornish hens

The 2013 Russian River Valley pinot noir from Mount Vernon, Illinois native Ron Rubin has a love connection with poultry, which is happy with both white and red wines. The cool ocean fog of Sonoma’s Russian River Valley makes incredible pinot noir. I paired it with Cornish hens at a recent Sauce Magazine cooking class at Dierbergs, and the oak-aged bourbon-mustard pan sauce met its match in this French oak-aged red. 

$20. Dierbergs, various locations.

Glenn Bardgett is a member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board and wine director at Annie Gunn’s.