Folie a Deux Menage a Trois California Red, 2006

I nearly always prefer a red wine with salmon, but usually Pinot Noir or a Grenache blend. This inexpensive choice also worked well with a beautifully prepared dish of Northwest Pacific Salmon with lentils and cauliflour in a subtle butter/herb sauce.

Because of the name, I was assuming Menage a Trois would be a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Actually, the Cab Franc was replaced by Zinfandel with boisterous berry fruit that dominated the aromas and flavors but blended well with subtle Cabernet blackcurrant and Merlot cherry. There was a hint of vanilla but no hard tannins or other obvious oak-influenced traits. Fruity but in a laid back sort of way, it was a good match for the salmon and seemed to take on depth as the meal progressed.

At the upscale L'Auberge de Sedona in Arizona, I paid $9 for a glass of Menage a Trois and felt it was no embarrassment. For an extra dollar, I can buy a whole bottle at D&W FreshMarket. An even better value, undoubtedly, is Folie a Deux's Napa Valley Cabernet for $17.99.