Cabernet Sauvignon: The Basics

The King of Reds

Cabernet Sauvignon might be the most important red wine variety in the world because of its global  production and widespread popularity. In my opinion, there really is nothing better than a good "Cab" on a chilly night paired with a grilled steak. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is a noble grape variety that grows well in many climates, except very cool areas. It became famous through the age-worthy red wines of the Medoc district of Bordeaux (which also contain Merlot and Cabernet France, in varying proportions). But today, California is an equally important region for Cabernet Sauvignon - not to mention Washington, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and so on. In nearly every major wine growing region, you will most certainly find Cabernet Sauvignon being produced.  

The Cabernet Sauvignon grape makes medium to full-bodied wines that are high in tannin. The textbook descriptor for Cabernet Sauvignon's aroma and flavor is black currants and cassis. Many of the finest wines have a marked note of minerality, and many have toasty or smoky aromas and flavors from aging in oak barrels. 

Cabernet Sauvignon wines come in all price and quality levels. The least-expensive versions are usually fairly soft and very fruity. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth and classic, concentrated Cabernet flavors. Serious Cabernet Sauvignons can age for 15 years or more. 

Because Cabernet Sauvignon is fairly tannic (and because of the blending precedent in Bordeaux), winemakers often blend it with other grapes: usually Merlot - being less tannic - is considered an ideal partner. Australian wine-makers have an unusual practice of blending Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah. 

Cabernet Sauvignon generally pairs well with the following foods:

• Beef 
• Lamb
• Blue Cheese
• Venison

Wine Review: 2010 Montes Alpha - Syrah

Vintage: 2010
Grapes: 90% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Viognier
Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Producer: Montes
ABV: 14.5%
Serving Temp: Cool room temperature
Paired with: Pizza
My suggested pairing: Grilled red meat
Price: $20

Review:

This is a good wine that has the traditional flavors of Syrah. The color is dark red with a violet hue. On the nose there are aromas of blackberry, plum, cassis, and some subtle smoked game notes. On the palate this wine is full-bodied and has a creamy texture. There are flavors of game and pepper with just a hint of dark fruit that are structured by bitter, but not overpowering tannins. The finish is of tang, smoke, and anise; vanilla flavors start to show on the finish when the wine is given more time to breath.  This wine does not have a lot of acidity.

This is a good wine that does not have enough acidity for my personal taste, but there will definitely be fans of this style of wine. My overall impression of this wine was its smoky character that should pair nicely with grilled red meat.

Recommended 

Wine Review: 2010 Domaine la Garrigue - Vacqueyras

Vintage: 2010
Grapes: 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mouvedre, 5% Cinsault
Region:  Vacqueyras, Côtes du Rhône, France
Producer: Domaine la Garrigue
ABV: 14.5%
Serving Temp: Cool room temperature
Paired with: Braised Short Ribs
My suggested Pairing: Braised Short Ribs!!! or other rich dishes. 
Price: $20

Thoroughly enjoyed this delicious red Rhône that is from my favorite appellation of Vacqueyras. Had a deep dark ruby red and a nose of lots of herbs and subtle berry aromas. During the first sip of this wine, you'll get lots of acidity and spicy flavors that are hallmarks of the 2010 vintage; but this full-bodied wine is still able to stay incredibly balanced between all the acidity and soft tannins. After your mouth gets used to the acidity, there are flavors of tart cherry and blackberry  followed by the spice of new oak, herbs, and licorice on the long finish. 

This delicious Vacqueyras needs rich food to be able to really show its great flavors; but when you have the right food pairing, this wine is an incredible steal for the price. This wine needs some ageing to mellow some of its acidity and spicy notes, and should drink well over the next ten years. I put some bottles in my cellar and cannot wait until fall/winter to open a bottle to go with a hearty meal. 

Highly Recommended

Wine Review: 2010 Domaine Saint Gayan - Côtes du Rhône

Vintage: 2010
Grapes: Red Rhône Blend - primarily Grenache
Region: Côtes du Rhône, France
Producer: Domaine Saint Gayan
ABV: 14%
Serving Temp: Cool room temperature
Paired with: Savannah Red Rice
My suggested pairing: Grilled pork or veal
Price: $17

Review:

This is a bargain Côtes du Rhône that is very easy drinking. The color of this wine is a clear, but dark blood red with a pink rim. The nose at the beginning was a little closed, but started opening up to aromas of ripe red fruit (possibly strawberry) with a hint of pepper. On the palate there are flavors of raspberry and strawberry with a medium long finish of red fruit and black pepper. This medium bodied Côtes du Rhône has decent balance between the restrained acidity and chalky tannins.

There is little ageing potential for this wine, but this wine is ready to drink now. Definitely a summer style of Côtes du Rhône because it is not concentrated and heavy as other wines of the area. I enjoyed this straightforward wine and believe it is very well priced.

Recommended 

Wine Review: Stoller - JV Estate - Pinot Noir

Vintage: 2010
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Region: Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Producer: Stoller Family Estate
ABV: 13.2%
Serving Temp: Cool Room Temperature
Paired with: Pasta with Bolognese
My Suggested Pairing: Incredibly food friendly. Pair with salmon, tuna, or poultry.
Price: $22

Review:

This is a very refreshing and food friendly Pinot Noir. Pretty light cherry red in color. On the nose there is floral notes and sweet red cherries that are followed by a small hint of damp earth. Light bodied and slight effervescent mouth-feel on the palate with flavors of tart cherries and other red fruits. Finishes with tangy dark fruits. This wine has a good amount of tart and tangy acidity with a little bit of tannin, but it stays balanced.

This was a good and enjoyable entry level Pinot Noir that is very well priced. Definitely worth picking up if you would like to try an Oregon Pinot Noir and not break the bank.

Recommended 

Merlot: The Basics

Deep color, medium to full-bodied, high alcohol, and soft tannins are the characteristics of wines made from the Merlot grape. The aromas and flavors can be plum, berry, currant, chocolate, and even sometimes tea leaves. In my opinion, Merlot is definitely the most underrated grape variety grown and is the one international grape variety that has the most value. If you find that you prefer Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon, you will save yourself considerable money in the long run.

Some wine drinkers find Merlot more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon because it's less tannic; but some winemakers feel that Merlot is not satisfactory in its own right, and thus often blend it with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or both. Merlot makes both inexpensive, simple wines and, when grown in the right conditions, very serious wines.

Merlot is actually the most planted grape variety in France's Bordeaux region, where it excels in the Right Bank districts of Pomeral and St.-Emilion. Merlot is also important also important in Washington, California, and Chile, among other regions.

Merlot is incredibly food friendly (more so than Cabernet Sauvignon) and generally pairs well with: beef, chicken, duck, lamb, pork, turkey, and veal, to name a few.

Wikipedia Page
Wine-Searcher.com Page

Pinot Noir: The Basics

Pinot Noir is not just a grape, it's...it's... Well that is the problem, because it's impossible to describe what exactly Pinot Noir means with  the droves of  "Pinot  lovers" who will go to all four corners of the Earth looking for a good bottle of Pinot Noir, and will not accept any other grape variety as satisfying. I cannot think of another grape that gets people so enthused, and there is no other grape that has a similar cult following. "Pinot lovers/Pinotfiles" are some of the most intimidating people in the wine world because of their intensity and passion.  Yet it still really is impossible to describe this enthusiasm and dedication people have to this grape; although I will admit that there is something very zen like in drinking a good bottle of Pinot Noir. There is a lot that could be written about Pinot, but I will just stick to what Pinot Noir is objectively.

Pinot Noir is finicky, enigmatic, and challenging grape variety to grow. The prototype for Pinot Noir wine is red Burgundy, from France, where tiny vineyard plots yield rare treasures of wine made entirely from Pinot Noir. Oregon, California, New Zealand, and parts of Australia and Chile also produce good Pinot Noir. But Pinot Noir's production is relatively limited, because this variety is very particular about climate and soil.

Pinot Noir wine is lighter in color than Cabernet or Merlot. It has fairly high alcohol, medium to high acidity, and medium to low tannin (although oak barrels can contribute additional tannin to the wine). Its flavors and aromas can be very fruity - often like a mixture of red berries and black berries - or earthy and woodsy, depending on how it is grown and/or vinified. Many argue that Pinot Noir is the best grape for showing its terroir/growing region. Pinot Noir is rarely blended with other grapes in making red wine, but most Champagnes combine Pinot Noir with Chardonnay.