Cabernet Sauvignon: the grape from God

"God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir."- Andre Tchelistcheff

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most-grown grapes in the world (just behind Merlot). It is easy to grow, easy to maintain, resistant to rot and insects, and easy to blend with. It is the red-headed Miss Congeniality of grapes.

The grape is a rather new variety, only born in the 17th century out of a chance crossing between Sauvignon blanc and Cabernet Franc.

While they can be grown successfully in a variety of climates, Cabernet Sauvignon does love the warmer weather. This adds more sugar to the grapes and produces wines higher in alcohol content than Pinot Noirs.

Do you like green bell peppers? Then you are probably a fan of Cabernet Sauvignons. Pyrazine compounds are prevalent in young Cab grapes and the flavor intensity grows if the grapes are harvested too early. This is not considered in a flaw in the grape, but does add a distinctive flavor to some Cabs that are not pleasing to everyone. The California wine region of Monterrey is noted as having produced very vegetal wines, leading some of their Cabs to be referred to as "Monterrey Veggies".

During fermentation and/or aging, Cabs love oak. Many get aged in oak barrels, and some get oak added in their steel tanks. Either way, an important characteristic of many Cabernet Sauvignon  is the tannic oak flavors, as well as the vanilla and spice imparted by some oaks. Cab grapes are high in tannins already, and aging in oak barrels helps mellow or smooth out the tannic acid. Cabs age gracefully, softening the tannins even more the longer they are aged.

Looking to pair a great Cabernet Sauvignon with cheese? Try a nice cheddar, a fresh mozzarella, or a brie

How about a meal? Avoid spicy foods with a Cab. The spice will enhance the bitterness of a Cab and not soothe the burn. However, milder spices like black pepper go well, so pair your Cab with a beautifully grilled or smoked steak, or a pepper-crusted ahi tuna.

Stems up!

Liz

Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!

Oh Pinot (Noir)!

Maya: You know, can I ask you a personal question, Miles?

Miles Raymond: Sure.

Maya: Why are you so in to Pinot?

Miles Raymond: [laughs softly]

Maya: I mean, it's like a thing with you.

Miles Raymond: [continues laughing softly]

Miles Raymond: Uh, I don't know, I don't know. Um, it's a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It's uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it's neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient on the planet.

It was the movie Sideways (quoted above) that launched Pinot Noir to the height of fame that it enjoys today. Its name is derived from the French words meaning pine and black, due to the grapes being of the black grape variety, and the grape cluster shape being like a pinecone. 

It is this distinctive pinecone shape and tight clustering of the grapes that makes Pinot Noir so difficult to cultivate. Because of the tight bunches, it is prone to many different types of diseases, fungi, and molds. The vine is also susceptible to mildews and other rot diseases. The finicky nature of the vine and the grapes led one famous winemaker to state that "God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir grapes are mostly grown in cooler regions, most notably Burgandy, France, though it is also quite successful in Oregon, California, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. The Pinot Noir grape is the primary grape used in Champagne, France for their famous sparkling wines. 

As they are grown in cooler climates, Pinot Noirs tend to have lower sugar content, thus producing lower alcohol content. Most Pinot Noirs have around 12% alcohol (compared to an average 13.5% for a red table wine, and 15% for an Amarone).

Want to pair with cheese? Try it with a creamy bleu or brie, a crisp parmesan, or a lovely gouda.

Want to pair with food? It's a match made in heaven with shellfish dishes like Paella, a great dijon mustard chicken dish, a luscious veal parmesan, or a buttery filet mignon.

Pinot Noirs are favored by novices and expert alike because they are light, low in alcohol, and have so much variety based on where they are grown. A glass of Pinot Noir is always a great adventure!


Stems up!
Liz

Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!

5 Tasting Theme Ideas for your Traveling Vineyard Tasting Experience

1)      Wine and chocolate pairing

White, milk, dark, spicy chili chocolate, hazelnut, caramel, orange chocolate…I bet you never realized there were so many types of chocolates you could try out with your wines!

2)      Wine and Girl Scout Cookie pairing

We’ll try a Thin Mint with a nice Syrah and a Trefoil with a buttery Chardonnay and a Tagalong with a Pinot Noir… and we’ll just keep trying them all night long!

3)      Couples tasting

Picture this: you’re at a fancy restaurant with your loved one and you’re discussing splitting a bottle of wine. But you’re not sure if your tastebuds actually agree on the bold red or the crisp white. With a couples tasting, we can put together a scorecard to find the wine varietal that brings you both together. Don’t puzzle over the wine list ever again!

4)      Gift tasting (Stock the Cellar!)

Whether its a bridal shower, a birthday party, or just someone you love, you can throw them a “stock the cellar” party! Each guest can pitch in for a bottle or two, and before you know it, your guest of honor will have a case of wine to stock their cellar or fill their rack!

5)      Corporate hospitality

Got a teambuilding event or client hospitality evening on the horizon? A wine tasting is a super-fun way to pass the time, share some laughs, and get to know your guests. You can even ask your wine guide to skip the marketing part by pre-ordering a case of a variety of wines (or personalized labels with your business card) and let your guests leave with a party favor!

Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!

Featured Wine Tasting Theme: Wine and Chocolate

Still trying to figure out the perfect Valentine's Day activity?

Let a professional wine educator take you on a tour of wine and chocolate pairings! And share the fun with other couples so they're not caught up the same dilemma on Valentine's Day!

I'll recommend an array of chocolates, and the wine ships right to your door. Then we'll spend the evening exploring the tastes and flavors of heaven!

Wine Tasting: $29.95 + Shipping (total is under $50)
Chocolates: Spend what you wish - as little as $10 up to $50 on some great varieties to add to your tasting

Let's be realistic... how else are you going to get out of Valentine's Day for less than $100? :-)

Ready to dip into your wine cabinet and venture out on your own? Try some of these pairings:

• White chocolate with Sherry or Orange Muscat
• Milk chocolate with Pinot Noir or Merlot. Also try it with a Riesling or a sparkling wine.
• Dark chocolate with Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel

Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!

Featured Wine Tasting: Girl Scout Cookie Pairing with Wines!

It's cookie time!! January 15th is official cookie kick-off day in my neck of the woods, and February 8th is National Girl Scout Cookie Day!

So if you have a little girl in your life who is peddling those delicious, addictive, adorable Girl Scout Cookies, put in your order and host a wine tasting!

We have a wonderful selection of tasting samplers and can come up with a really fun cookie and wine menu for you. And we can experiment and come up with our crowd favorites, too!

Ready to explore with what's in your wine cabinet?

• Try some Thin Mints with a nice Syrah. 
• Or some Trefoils with a fresh Sauvignon Blanc. 
• Try Savannah Smiles with a cool Reisling. 
• Put a Pinot Noir with a Thank U Berry Much. 
• Port + Samoa = Yum! Or try your Samoas with a Savignon Blanc.
• Give a Tagalong a shot with a Merlot or a Chardonnay.

Check out this great blog post from Wine Club Reviews and Ratings. Also this go-to guide from Unleash your Inner Foodie. And finally a great slideshow from The Huffington Post.

Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!

Salud! And a few more of my favorite toasts

Cheers!

Salud!

Bottoms up!

Those are just a few of the common clicking phrases before enjoying a nice glass of wine. Ad you raise your glass this evening with friends and family, I thought I'd throw a few more your way:

Stems up! (refers to the stem on the wine glass - similar to Bottoms up!)

Skol! (the Swedish version of Salud!)

Prost! (German version of Salud)

If you feel that you must embellish with words, try some of these:

To wine-those plump grapes' immortal juice
That does this happiness produce.

To grape expectations.

It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend; one's present or future thirst; the excellence of the wine; or any other reason.
-- Latin saying

“My grandmother is eighty and still doesn't need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle.”
- Henny Youngman

To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to all the world's problems.

Here's to the floor, who will hold you when no one else will.

Beer is made by men. Wine by God. - Martin Luther


Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!

5 Awesome DIY Wine Tasting Themes

1)      Single winery

Pick your favorite winery (Rosemount? Robert Mondavi? Duckhorn? Cakebread? Yellow Tail?) and try a variety of their wines.

2)      Single grape varietal

Try 6 different Cabernet Sauvignons from around the world. Or 5 worldly Syrahs and Shirazs and see which ones you like the best!

3)      Specific price range

Have everyone bring a wine that cost less than $8. Or have everyone bring a $25 bottle. Set your price and find a favorite!

4)      Specified region

Go for all French wines. Or all wines from Napa Valley. Or try just Spanish reds. Enjoy!

5)      Same wine, different years

Harder than all of the other tasting themes, this one requires that you find a wine from each year. Think you can find a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the same winery from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012? The hunt might be more fun than the tasting! Good luck!


Visit my Traveling Vineyard site at http://www.travelingvineyard.com/guide/morethanatasting to browse our great selection of offerings, start an exciting new career, or contact me to book a tasting in your home and try before you buy!