The classic red wine - Cabernet Sauvignon

December 12, 2006

The bleak November weather called for a special meal and special wine with close friends. Cabernet Sauvignon is perfect for just this kind of occasion. The last tasting I wrote about was Bordeaux, wines from the south western coast of France and usually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and occasionally Sauvignon Franc. These wines were the virtual definition of red wine for centuries, and when it it reasonably well made it is extremely good with red meats. Although the French defined the style, since the mid 1970s California has been making Cabernet Blends that even the French think is superior (in blind tastings, French judges were horrified to learn they had chosen California wines over French wines not once but twice!)

In the wine world this has led to quite a stir. The Californians make a style of wine preferred by noted wine critic Robert Parker, and described as fruit forward. In the low budget film Mondo Vino, the award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Nossiter visits wineries around the world and records their laments as they complain about globalized tastes and the tyranny of the marketplace. According to wine critics, Bordeaux is more “nuanced” with less big fruit flavor as you begin to taste the wine. This was our chance to see for ourselves.

There were nine of us, and each couple brought a bottle of either Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon from California (Although one guest brought a Cabernet from Australia – more on this later.) I decanted each bottle and all wines were tasted blind, so we didn't know which bottle we were drinking or where it was from.

The most important thing I have found about our wine tastings is that it is really important for everyone to be comfortable with each other. If someone says “this tastes like ammonia” or “ I taste red raspberries” it is important for the group to be supportive. After all, these are entirely subjective tastes. In our group, we know each other quite well, so there is a high level of trust within the group.

The second thing I've learned is that this is a party first and a wine tasting second. I was joking with my wife that “Brad and I could indulge our intellectual interest in wines and everyone else could just have a good time.” But it turned out that others picked up the wine book and everybody payed a lot of attention to the process.

We started with a cheap ($5.99) Cabernet my wife had bought at Trader Joes in Massachusetts. It was not very good, tart and acidic with not much of a finish. After we had some exceptional goat cheese miraculously the wine got better. Try this sometime. Open a bottle of 'value' wine and have several sips to get started. Then eat cheese and crackers, followed by more wine. The wine will always improve, because the cheese has altered the taste sensation. Purists say, perhaps rightly, that cheese will ruin the finer flavors of the wine, but in fact they do go well together and if what you want is a nice taste sensation then indulge yourself and have them together.

We had a roast beef, cooked to perfection, with garlic mashed potatoes, salad and green beens. We started with appetizers, then tasted and scored our wines. After this first round we took a break, served the meal, and tasted the wines again to see if they had changed.

Here is our report.
Franciscan, Oakville Estate, Napa Valley, California, 2003. 13.5%, $22
This was our collective top scoring wine. It was rich, full bodied, and complemented the Roast beef. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is the classic California style wine that the French (and our group) prefer. Wine people like to talk about “fruit forward” wines, and this is a classic example. On tasting the wine I immediately tasted a powerful blast of cherry and plum. This flavor evolved into a softer, richer taste of currants and cherry. Several minutes after my sip I was still enjoying the remnants, with lingering tastes and sensations. This is the mark of a mature, well made wine.

Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Savignon. 2003. 13.5% $12.
This wine was a close second, made in a similar style to the Franciscan. This wine has a nice full body, with balanced fruit and a long finish. I think it's a great value at this price. It is fruit forward like the Napa Cab, but not overpowering.
www.wynnswines.com

Domain Caton Cabernet, France, 2004. 12%, $6, (yes, six dollars for a one liter bottle, not the usual 750 ml size of most wine bottles.)
The label reads “Cabernet Sauvignon, Red table wine”and it came in third. If we were just looking at value this is way out in front. As an example of Cabernet Sauvignon it was uninspiring (but for 6 bucks...) We thought it was thin, without that long finish of the first two wines. These French Cabs are also lower alcohol than the others, at a modest 12%. The benefit of this is that you can drink more of it without becoming impaired. Remember, for Europeans wine is food, part of the meal.

Chateau La Fauconnerie, Montagne Saint Emilion, France, 1999. 12.6%, $30. This was the bottle that represented the wines from the previous tasting. Made with 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a classic Bordeaux from Saint Emilion. With our group this wine did not score well, coming in fourth overall.

Stephan Ridge, Paso Robles, Ca. 2001. 14.6%, $30. Coming in last place was this Californian wine from Paso Robles. Made from 70% Syrah/30% Cab Sauvignon, it was simply uninspiring. It was thin, didn't have a long 'mouth-feel', and was not particularly well balanced.

Delicato, California, 2005, 13%. $5 at Trader Joes
This is a wine for those who want something red to drink that they don't have to think about and don't expect to taste very good. If you have low expectations this will do fine. With wonderful cheeses it improved considerably. The label described “... well balanced structure” and that's not what we experienced but, well, it's an ok table wine. There are better wines in this price range.

After last months tasting I was convinced that I liked the European style wines, with less fruit and more earthiness. After this tasting I have to reconsider. I know the proof is ultimately in the skill and tastes of the winemaker, and we all preferred the Franciscan Cabernet. For $10 less, the Wynns is also an excellent wine.

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