Tag Archives: Sauvignon
I Love Organic Wine – A South African Cabernet Sauvignon
The Sonop Wine Farm is located in Paarl, South Africa about sixty kilometers (less than forty miles) northeast of Capetown, wine country that produces some mighty fine red wines. This organic Cabernet Sauvignon wine also has the advantage of being Fair Trade which means that the producers and workers are paid a living wage. So you can drink this wine with a clear conscience knowing that both the environment and the people involved its production have been respected. As long as we’re on the subject, make sure to enjoy this wine in moderation so that nobody is harmed. What about the wine itself?
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Sonop Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 13.5% alcohol about $ 12.50
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials.
Description: An excellent value, this certified-organic Cab is also one of a growing number of wines that are certified as Fair Trade. Such a certification guarantees that producers and workers are paid a living wage and that grapes are grown using environmentally conscientious practices. This medium-bodied Cab delivers cassis and typical cigar box aromas, ripe fruit flavours and fairly soft tannins. Pair it with pasta in a meat sauce. Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 22 mg/L of free sulphur. And now for my review.
The first sips revealed a wine that was mildly sweet with soft tannins. It had good length and light acidity. The initial food pairing consisted of slow-cooked beef stew and potatoes with a side of okra in a sauce of garlic, onions, and crushed tomatoes. The wine’s intensity and fruit stepped up to the meat. The okra dish brought out the darkness of the fruit. I added green jalapeno pepper sauce to the meat and got some chocolate and tobacco.
The second pairing involved chicken and potatoes baked in a commercial honey and garlic barbecue sauce. The Cab tasted of dark fruit. It was mouth-filling and yet light. There was a tiny bit of sweetness. The lingering acidity did a good job of cutting the grease.
The final food pairing was with whole-wheat lasagna noodles baked with ground beef, peas, and tomato salsa. This lasagna had no cheese. The wine was round. It tasted of dark cherries with soft tannins and a tobacco finish. I added extra salsa (mild, not spicy) and the tobacco finish intensified. The length was good.
Two cheese pairings marked the end of the bottle. In the presence of sheep’s milk feta cheese the Cab was long and chewy. But brick cheese managed to weaken the wine somewhat.
Final verdict. This wine was quite good and the price is right. I would buy this wine again. If you want an organic wine, this is a good deal. And it’s even better when you consider that it is Fair Trade as well. Even if you aren’t interested in these factors, this Cabernet Sauvignon offers a fine wine for the price.
I Love Kosher Wine – An Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that all Israeli wines are kosher, many are but many are not. Once upon a time Israeli wine relied on lesser quality grape varieties such as Carignan and Colombard. Happily those days are over. Actually, I’m told that some of the old Carignan fields have been nurtured to produce high-quality wines. In any case, the wine reviewed below is based on the Cabernet Sauvignon grape that stars in Bordeaux France, California, and increasingly elsewhere including Israel. This bottle comes from the Upper Galilee in northern Israel, said to be the country’s region best region for winemaking.
This wine is not only Kosher, it is Mevushal (flash-pasteurized) which essentially means it retains its Kosher quality no matter who serves it. Once upon a time Mevushal was synonymous with tasteless, the process essentially boiled the guts out of the wine. This is clearly no longer the case. Let’s give it a try.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Dalton Safsufa Cabernet Sauvignon K/P 2007 13.5% Alcohol About $ 19.00
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials.
Tasting Note: Medium garnet with ruby color; big nose of black current, plum and spice with earthy notes; dry, medium to full bodied, with ripe black fruit and vanilla flavores and a lingering finish. Serving Suggestion: Roast beef, grilled lamb or chicken. And now for my review.
The first sips were mouth filling. The wine was long and rich. The initial food pairing involved a commercially barbecued chicken accompanied by potatoes roasted in chicken fat. The plum taste was dominant but not unpleasant and I also tasted tobacco. This Cab showed a fine balance of fruit, acidity, and light tannins. It was palate cleansing, especially for the greasy roasted potatoes. If I had to look for something negative I suppose that it could have been more subtle.
Then I went with a slow-cooked beef stew with potatoes. Once again the wine was mouth filling. I was tasting dark fruit and dreaming of Bordeaux. Actually I was tasting dark fruit and chocolate with a lot of extract. I added some green jalapeno sauce that didn’t seem to make a difference except to intensify the chocolate.
The final meal centered around packaged meatless baked Ziti Siciliano with eggplant that I generously doused with grated Parmesan cheese. The Cabernet was chewy and refreshing but a bit flat at first. It became better later.
I finished with the cheese pairings. With a Provolone the wine was quite present, powerful, and long but it didn’t really mesh with the cheese. Translation, this wine was too good for this cheese. Then I went to a skim milk Mozzarella cheese. The wine showed good balance and length with a nice touch of oak. To inject a personal note, I wouldn’t waste a $ 20 bottle of wine on a low-market cheese.
Final verdict I would buy this wine again but definitely pay attention to the food pairings. This wine seems to go better with higher quality food. I won’t say that’s a bad sign.
Chocolate With Cabernet Sauvignon Cupcakes
This is the most amazing “adult” cupcakes recipe ever. It combines the two greatest ingredients ever, chocolate and wine! It does contain alcohol but it cooks out completely and is kid friendly. This is the perfect cupcake to serve at a wine tasting party, cocktail party or any party at all.
These cupcakes are made with cinnamon, cocoa powder, dried cherries and of course Cabernet Sauvignon. When making these delicious little creations; make sure that you use a good quality Cabernet Sauvignon. It makes all the difference in the world. You can also serve the same wine with the cupcakes and it makes a beautiful pair. When the cupcakes are done baking you top them with sweet whipped cream, a few more dried cherries and a dusting of either cinnamon or cocoa powder.
Cupcake pans come in 3 sizes, small, medium and large. The cooking time varies between the sizes. Small cupcakes take approximately 6 minutes less than medium and large cupcakes take about 8 minutes longer than medium. It doesn’t matter what type of mixer you use whether is a Kitchen Aide mixer, a hand mixer or just a wooden spoon. Just make sure you mix it as the directions say.
So for the best cupcake you will ever make; try this recipe and wow your friends.
Chocolate with Cabernet Sauvignon Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 Cup Dried Cherries, chopped
2 Cups Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream
1/4 Cup Dried Cherries, chopped
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon or Cocoa Powder, as garnish
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the muffin pans with paper baking cups.
3. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cocoa powder in an electric mixer.
4. Add the oil, vanilla, eggs and Cabernet Sauvignon.
5. Beat with the electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer speed to high and continue beating for three minutes, scraping the sides occasionally.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the dried cherries.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pans.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream on the center of the completely cooled cupcakes.
10. Add five to six bits of dried cherries and a dusting of cinnamon or cocoa powder.
Cabernet Sauvignon Grape Vine Growing
The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is grown in nearly every wine producing country. This grape produces the most widely recognized red wine in the world. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape vine is grown in all types of climates from Canada’s Okanagan Valley to Lebanon’s Baqaa Valley. During most of the 20th Century the grape was the most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s.
The grape is a fairly new variety becoming into existence in the 17th century in southwestern France. The plant is a cross between the Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc. The variety is very hardy and resistant to rot and frost. The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon was a mystery for many years. Until recently the gape was rumored to maybe have ancient origins. Even perhaps being the Biturica grape used to make ancient Roman wine. The grapes true origin was discovered in the late 1990s with the use of DNA. Chateau Mouton and Chateau d’Armailhac in the Pauilac, was probalbly the first estates to actively grow the fruit.
The offspring’s of the Cabernet Sauvignon include the cross of the Granache which produced the Marselan , a French wine. In Australia in 1977 a bronze grape was found that is an offspring of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was registered under the name Malian and has sold pale red wine under this name. In 1991 one of the Bronze Cabernet vines produced a white grape that was registered as Shalistin.
The Viticulture of the Cabernet Sauvignon can grow in a variety of climates. When growing the vines in colder climates, more pruning will be needed because the vine uses it nutrients to put on more leaves rather than using its energy to ripen the fruit. The vine is one of the last major grape varieties to bud an ripen usually in one to two weeks. In regions that are too cool, there is a possibility that the grapes will taste like green bell pepper.
The Cabernet Sauvignon is an assertive, bold wine that overwhelms delicate dishes. The wine has a high alcohol level with a flavor that pairs well with fatty red meats. This wine does not pair well with spicy foods due to hotness levels of the capsaicins present in spices like chili peppers. The mild taste of black pepper will pair better with the wine. The wine has a great ability to age and develop in the bottle. As the Cabernet wine ages new flavors and aromas can emerge, and add to the wine. In the past century the Cabernet has enjoyed a swell of popularity as a noble grape. The grapes are well suited for California and Australia.
In Australia the Cabernet is the second most widely planted red wine grape, following the Shiraz with which it is often blended. Whereas in California the main stylistic difference in the Cabernet Sauvignon is whether it is grown on hillside/mountains vineyards are those of flatter terrain. The mountain side wine tends to be a deep inky color with a strong berry aroma.
Happy Grape Growing,
S. S. Barnett