International Cabernet Day is coming, and we celebrate by having our tasting sheet focus on all Cabernets and Cabernet blends. For the next few weeks, I will be sharing stories and recipes about our estate Cabernet Sauvignon. I am choosing this week our 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon that has yet to make an appearance on our tasting sheet but has last year during our vertical tasting. This is a wine; we haven’t opened up in a long while. But, this past week, I did! Every so often, I go into the closet and pick something to enjoy that we haven’t for some time.

As I was enjoying this bottle, I was thinking what I should make for dinner….and of course what I haven’t made recently, lasagna came to mind. I guess I was also thinking what is in my fridge too because I have ricotta cheese and a little bit of that Cabernet cheddar I bought. I did need a few things at the market to complete my dinner.

Again, I always say don’t shop when you are hungry, but I do. I saw fresh cherries that said Kyle’s Pick on it. Anyone who knows me and my little Kyle, my little Shih Tzu, how could I not? They were fabulous! I ate them as I enjoyed a glass of Reyes 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. So, I guess I ate my dessert first! I did save a few a made chocolate cherry chocolate chip cookies.

Now back to the wine, it is an estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon. I allowed my wine to rest in the glass for about 30 minutes before I enjoyed it.  Yes, that is awfully hard to do, but you should. I kept smelling the wine while it was resting and was so excited to finally taste. It was which has bold tannins with aromas of black cherry, plum and freshly cracked black peppercorn. On the palate this wine has intense flavors of currants and pomegranates, followed by a woody spice.

This will also pair well with a Vella dry jack cheese or a Rembrandt Gouda, which is aged over a year. I have made a few calzones these past few weeks, last week I made one stuffed with burrata. That would be perfect with some marinara dipping sauce. You can also have a salad with burrata topped with black currant vinegar.  For dessert this would also be very tasty, a rich cherry cheesecake with a chocolate crust. Now, don’t forget you can enjoy this with brunch.

 

Ingredients

• ½ cup Buttermilk
• ½ cup Oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt, kosher
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose Flour
• ½ cup hazelnuts (optional)
• ¼ cup Reyes 2014 Julia’s Blend Cherry Jam

 

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
2. In another mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, vanilla paste, eggs, oil, and sugar.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. Don’t over mix.
4. Add hazelnuts to mixture.
5. Divide mixture and pour into a muffin tin.
6. Add a tsp of Reyes 2014 Julia’s Blend Cherry Jam on top of each muffin.
7. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Make sure they are done by taking a toothpick and stick it in. Depending upon the altitude you might need a few more minutes.
8. Serve