Varietals

Question 1

Cabernet Sauvignon -history and origins

Answer 1

1. •Noblest variety originated from Bordeaux - classic Medoc wines. Performs best in warm climates.
   •Dense, dark, tannic, full body and capable of aging
   •Deep garet purple
   •small grape thick skin
   •Typical regions=Bordeaux (Medoc, Graves), Tuscany (Sassecaia), Napa valley, Sonoma county, Australia (Coonewara), Argentina, Chile, Priorat Spain
   •SOIL = Cool climate - gravel ….. Warmer climate prefer less fertile soil - dusty (Rutherford)
   •Ideal wines= classified Bordeaux and California cult
   •Sauvignon = suavage (wild vitus vinifera)
   It is a combination of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc
   •Cab franc shared aroma = pencil box….Suavignon Blanc shared aroma = grassiness
   •Vine usually last to bud and ripen (1/2 wks after merlot and cab franc)

Question 2

Cabernet Sauvignon - signature aromas

Answer 2

Fruit=Blackberry, Blackcurrents, Cassis, Plum
Floral = violet
Herbacious = bell pepper
Herbal = mint, eucalyptus, grass
Spice = black pepper
Aging= cedar, cigar box, pencil shavings, leather
Oak aged = vanilla, baking spice, brown sugar, nutmeg

UNDER RIPE COOL CLIMATE = green bell pepper (Monterey, S.Africa sometimes)
MEDIUM CLIMATE= eucalyptus, mint, , black pepper, tobacco (Coonewara, WA state)
OVER RIPE HOT CLIMATE = jammy, stewed black currents (Rutherford, Oak knoll)

YOUNG - black cherries and plum

Question 3

Cabernet Sauvignon - Bordeaux

Bordeaux blend
Soil/Terroir
Maceration
Winemaking practices

Answer 3

•Unpredictable climate = therefore grape usually blended
•average alcohol level 12-13%
BORDEAUX BLEND =
Cabernet sauvignon - backbone, basewine, acidity, tannins, aging potential
Merlot = rounds out lack of fleshiness of cab
Cabernet Franc = additional aromas and fruitiness
Petit Verdot = adds color where not enough (like in Margeaux)
Malbec = adds fruit and floral
Carmenere = abandoned grape now used in Chile
TERROIR = Right bank gravel best in Bordeaux - drains well while absorbing and radiating heat to help vines ripen
MACERATION = traditionally 3 weeks to extract more tannins, color and flavor. The longer the mac. and higher the temp, the more extraction; the lower the temp, the more fruit aromas preserved. Long maceration and temp must be softened with oak
WINEMAKING PRACTICES = 225L barrique oak aging or micro oxygenation (mimics aeration.)

Question 4

Cabernet Sauvignon - Bordeaux

Regional Medoc AOC profiles

Answer 4

St. Estephe & Pessac Leognan = mineral
Margaux = violets
Pauillac = lead pencil
St. Julien = cedar and cigar box
Moulis = rich tannin and fruitiness
Graves = black current

Question 5

Cabernet Sauvignon - Italy

Answer 5

1970 = SuperTuscan when blended with Sangiovese
Piero Antinori first to create “Chianti style” wine called Tignanello that ignored DOC regulations requiring 70% sangiovese and 10% of local white grapes.

Black cherry and black current most notable aromas

Question 6

Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Answer 6

Burst on scene 1976 Judgement of Paris = Stag’s Leap cab beat out classified Bordeaux.

1980 new phyloxxera epidemic hit CA. Replanting of Ca doubled.

Warm climate. Avg alcohol level excess 14%. Ease in ripening. The problem in CA is yield and vine management. Having excessive yield would mean less flavor, more herbacious. Therefore, the emphasis is on LESS fertile soil. Dusty.
Rutherford and Oakville soil is alluvial and dusty (“Taste of Rutherford”)
Eucalyptus aroma common in regions where the trees grow.

SONOMA COUNTY = anise, black olives

NAPA VALLEY = jammy, dark, high alcohol fruit bomb

NAPA HILLSIDE (Diamond Mt, Howell, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mt. = thinner, less fertile soil, so smaller berries w/ more intense flavor LIKE BORDEAUX WINES that require aging. These wines are inky, strong berry aroma

Monterey = coldest of cab regions and windy. Shuts down maturation = vegetal, green bell pepper flavors. “Monterey Veggies”

Heavy use of oak - 1980 trend toward overuse of New American has a shift toward more french oak now

Question 7

Cabernet Sauvignon -

WA state
South Australia

Answer 7

WA state = Medium climate - Red mt., Walla wall, yakima valley
South Australia = MAragret River and Coonawara (region with terra rossa soil - intense fruit with minty notes

Question 8

Cabernet Sauvignon - Food pairing

Answer 8

Pair with fatty red meat to negate some tannic qulaities.
It has the tendency to overpower delicate dishes.

Pair with foods with cooking methods like grilling, smoking and plank roasting to enhance oakiness. Same for dishes that include oak flavors like dill weed, brown sugar, nutmeg and vanilla.

Old world Cab is earthier and pairs with mushrooms.
Those from cooler climates pair with vegetables.
Pair with dark chocolate (not with sweeter milk chocolate.)

Pairs poorly with spicy food since since it accentuates bitterness of tannins and heat of alcohol.