By Amy L. Schubert Food Writer Published Sep 28, 2008 at 10:26 AM

My wine pick this week is a big, bold pinot noir which we enjoyed on one of the chillier days last week. I'm ready for fall reds, which is when I usually pour myself pinot noirs and shirazes and the occasional malbec.

Pinot noir to me screams bold comfort, and the 2007 Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir is no exception. This rich and ever so wonderfully dry red came on the recommendation of John Nehring at G. Groppi's food market, and while the label recommends pairing it with grilled lamb or salmon (both of which would have been great with it), it did wonders with a homemade pasta and meatballs dinner as well.

The Cartlidge & Brown hails from Napa, Calif., and is described by the bottler as "redolent of plum and berry with notes of Asian spice and anise."

This one is striking enough I may consider pairing the next bottle against a Delmonico rib eye.

Happy sipping!

Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.

The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.

Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.