New wine created to pair with humble meatloaf and filet mignon

(entwine)

A US cooking channel has developed a wine label that aims to take the pretense out of wines with food pairing suggestions that range from macaroni and cheese to potato chips and salami.

The Food Network and California winery Wente Vineyards have launched their long talked about label Entwine, first announced in February.

The 2009 vintage is available in four varietals including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and focuses on narrowing the gap between wine and food and "spotlighting" the natural relationship between the two elements, says the label.

Food pairing suggestions range from "off-the-shelf-staples" like potato chips and salami to humble comfort foods like macaroni and cheese and meatloaf and more traditional foods like grilled pork and fish.

Possible pairings are listed on the back of the bottle.

Their website entwine-wines.com also offers meal ideas and food pairings that draw from the Food Network Kitchens archive. Their version of a grilled cheese sandwich for instance - or, in this case an "oven grilled bacon cheddar sandwich" - is paired with Entwine's Merlot. Recipes also come with nutritional information.

Users can search by meal type, main ingredient or wine varietal.

Meanwhile, though it's not often a TV network develops its own wine label, it's become commonplace for TV and Hollywood celebrities to expand their portfolio into viticulture. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola, singer Mariah Carey, and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky all have wines in their name.

Entwine is available at major US supermarkets like Kroger, Safeway and independent retailers like Harris Teeter, Randall's/Tom Thumb, Vons, Dominick's, Albertsons, Giant and Publix.

Bottles retail for $12.99.

For more info, visit http://www.entwine-wines.com/.