Cabernet Sauvignon: I Love My Joel

Looking for my new winter wines for our next drink menu, I thought I would try and entice you all to drink some of the red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon. 

When I explain to people about Cabernet Sauvignon I try and let them know that if it is the first red wine grape you try, the chances are pretty high that you may not like it, but don’t give up on it. The love of great Cabernet Sauvignon takes time and patience, but is so worth the wait. 

Most of my friends and customers know I am married to John, but my wine heart goes out to a bottle named, Joel! Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon was the first cabernet I smiled at when I smelled it, devoured it when I drank it and sighed heavily when I finished it. Now that doesn’t mean that Joel Gott Cabernet is the best wine or the worst wine in the world, it just made a huge impact on me. Joel Gott grew up in the wine mecca known as Napa. His grandfather was winemaker and president of Inglenook in the 60s and 70s and his father started Montevina. Sara his winemaker wife produced their first Cabernet in 2003 and the rest is history. 

Most of us in the Midwest grew up hearing about the infamous “Napa Valley” region in California. Napa, which means “plenty” in the language of the Native American people that once lived there, is diverse in its landscapes and in its wines. The soil, valleys, mountains and location near the Pacific Ocean blend together to produce grapes that make award-winning wines. We are familiar with wines from Mondavi, Inglenook, Beaulieu, Beringer and Sutter Home, especially if we are of a certain age, but now there are so many more great producers in this region. 

When searching for great Napa cabernets look for these things:

• Color. (hold it in the glass and enjoy the color in the light) I try and see an inky, dark purple color.
• Nose. (the smell you get after it is poured in the glass) I try and smell a rich dark berry (blueberry or blackcurrants) smoky or toasty with maybe a little vanilla or possibly chocolate.
• Taste and Body. I look for a big wine that just hits my mouth with flavor in the beginning, middle and the end. If you concentrate you will taste something all the way through your sip. I also like to compare it to tasting velvet, a royal taste for a royal wine. 
• Tannins. (this is a natural grape element that comes from the skin) The dry sensations you get on the back of your tongue when you drink cabernet are the tannins working. They are one reason we drink cabernet with high protein steak, the steak counters the tannins and makes for a wonderful pairing! It is also the reason cabernet can hold up for many years in your cellar.

So if you are having a juicy steak tonight for dinner try a little Cabernet with it I promise you will not be disappointed! I have a new one I can’t wait to try out on all of you for our winter menu, sorry you will just have to wait to find out which one it is!

I leave you with this quote, the second phrase dedicated to an acquaintance that I will miss very much because she had so much enthusiasm!

“Excellent wine generates enthusiasm. And whatever you do with enthusiasm is generally successful!”  Philippe De Rothschild – French vintner.