Cabernet Sauvignon is a very bold wine that has possibility to overpower some dishes. Depending upon the tannins as well as the oak notes can make a difference in food pairings. When Cabernet Sauvignon is young, as this wine is, its elements are at is peak.  As time goes on and the wine ages, it will smooth out, and the possibilities of food pairing will increase.

Cabernet Sauvignon’s that are higher in alcohol level do not pair well with spicy food. I remember doing a wine pairing event with other winemakers and a winery from Napa paired their Cabernet with a spicy beef taco. All I can remember was the spiciness of the salsa and the acid of the wine. It was not a good match. Then I kept thinking the taco should have been paired with a white wine that had a bit of sweetness like our 2014 Chardonnay. When pairing wines, think opposites, like spicy with sweet or astringent with a higher fat content. When I think of our 2013 Cabernet, I would pair it with prime rib topped with horseradish. For dessert, I would pair a chocolate cheese cake topped with a Cabernet blackberry sauce.

Our 2013 estate Cabernet Sauvignon is robust, aromatic and complex. I mentioned a few weeks ago that it won a double gold medal from the most influential international wine competition in America, the San Francisco International Wine Competition.  It exhibits black cherry and blackcurrant fruit with a touch of black pepper on the palate. It is a full-bodied wine with distinctive ripe black cherry and blackcurrant taste to your palate. We aged this vintage for 23 months in French oak barrels. Only 48 cases were produced.

I have brought this in the tasting room this month. Please ask your server for it to be part of your flight.