Jason won’t sell you a bottle. In fact, the owner of Passalacqua Winery rarely even talks about wine. Instead, he’ll talk to you about the rodeo, your favorite spots to go hunting, hard work. He’ll ask you to tell him stories about what you’re most proud of, and he wants to talk about the things we make with our hands. Then, suddenly, you’ll realize you’ve finished an entire bottle of red under a tree overlooking vines tucked into the hills of Northern California — a bottle you’ll never forget.

Shaped by Texas summers and whatever the freezer holds, this ragù becomes a once-a-year vintage, never repeated. It’s a practical, slow-cooked clearing of odds and ends, unified into one final sauce.

Don’t overcook it. Medium-rare is the sweet spot. Over that, and you’re chewing leather.