Call Me a Cab Party

Last night we hosted a dinner party for national Call Me a Cab Night. Made up holiday? Sure it is, but why not? We had a lot of fun.

The grape of the evening was Cabernet Sauvignon, so we served several bottles that we had picked up on our travels along with some very Cab-friendly food. 

The Wines

As our guests arrived, we started them off with a splash of 2010 Mayacamas Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is a parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon, so it was a good way to sneak in a refreshing white wine while sticking to our theme.

Next, it was on to the Cabs. All of these wines were blind tasted with bread, crackers, and a selection of cheeses: reserve cheddar, balsamic bellavitano, and feta blended with lemon, basil, and cracked peppercorn.

2006 Brandlin Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Heitz Cellar Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Vincent Arroyo Cabernet Savignon

These Cabs all reflect our preferences -- fruit forward, a little bold, slightly young, with solid tannins that pair well with food or make the wine interesting on its own. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed each of the wines and we had fun comparing the different flavor profiles when we tasted them side by side. 

The Food

After our blind tasting, we revealed the wines and poured some more so each person could enjoy their favorite with dinner. Our menu consisted of molasses bourbon marinated tri-tip, scalloped potatoes with asiago cheese, and arugala salad. Dessert consisted of milk chocolate squares and pears topped with blue cheese and honey, both of which went very well with a 2006 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Port.

The Winner

There was no clear-cut favorite and all of the wines were rated very good, but the 2007 Vincent Arroyo drew the most votes as a top pick. 

Call Me a Cab! Share A Bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon on May 19

One of our favorite ways to share a bottle is with theme wine tasting parties ~ more formal sit down meals (dinner party, Pinot-palooza) and less formal gatherings (Hallowine, Oscars).  It’s a fun way to open a few bottles, and taste with friends. This Saturday, May 19, why not give it a try and join us with Call Me A Cab!  

The Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, or course)~

When planning what wine to drink for the evening, consider the following ideas:

• Include wines from your own inventory
• Invite friends to bring a selection for the group
• Do a combination - you provide the wine for the evening, and have all guests bring a bottle as well.  When everyone leaves, grab a different bottle than you brought and enjoy another night!
• Taste a vertical (different vintages of the same wine type)
• Taste a horizontal (same vintage different wineries)
• Select all from the same region or country
• Select a price point (like cabs under $25)

However you select the wine, we recommend doing a blind tasting.  It really forces impartial judgment of the wine by removing preconceived expectations of how a wine will taste because of cost, geography, origin or producer.  You may be surprised on what wine turns out to be the favorite!  There are a number of ways you can make the tasting blind – serve in carafes (just remember to mark someway so you remember which is which!), place bottles in bags, or simply cover the label with a dark piece of paper. 

The Food ~

Dinner parties can be as formal (or informal) as you like.  Whether it is a sit down meal, or a casual gathering with cheese and small bites, the key is to select items that will pair well with the wine.  We are by no means pairing pros, and rely on our favorite resource What to Drink with What You Eat.  When tasting the wine, try it with and without food.  It is really interesting to see how the flavors of the wine are impacted, and may even alter which wine is the favorite among the group. 

Not up for a dinner party?  If local laws allow for it, meet friends at a restaurant and bring the wine with you (Let’s Taste Two!).  Taste wines side by side while enjoying a nice cab friendly meal…and drink wisely ~ you literally may need to call a cab!  

This weekend, let’s all share some cab!  Check for a post next week to find out which cabs we shared and the favorite among friends.  We look forward to hearing the same from you!

Tasting the Napa Valley Appellations

There are various regions throughout Napa Valley that possess distinct microclimates and terrains, with recognizable characteristics that can be found on the grapes grown within them.  Over the years as we’ve tasted more and more wines from the Napa Valley region, we have discovered that we gravitate to certain valleys more than others.  The soil, daily sunlight, wind, swings in temperature and slope of vineyard all impact the flavor profile.  On our recent trip to Napa, we visited some of our favorites in the more mountainous regions. 

Mount Veeder – Hess Collection

2008 Mount Veeder 19 Block Cuvee

(69% Cab Sauv, 13% Malbec, 8% Syrah, 8% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cab Franc)

This wine has aromas of black cherry compote and ripe plum with hints of vanilla and spice.  A silky, berry taste with rich tannins fills the mouth, with a lengthy finish ~ would pair well with a spicy flat iron steak.

2008 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

(82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 8% Merlot)

Full body, with a long, silky finish, this wine is full of aromas of toffee and wild berries.  It has a rich mid-palate and full of tannins.  It’s a big cab that could age up to 10 years.

Howell Mountain - Cade

2008 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon – 92 points by Robert Parker

(96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot) 

A cab with a powerful punch, this wine has aromas of black fruit and a little smoke.  On the palate, dense flavors of black cherry, baker’s chocolate, and a touch of herbs, and finishes with well-structured tannins and acidity that will allow the wine to age well for 5-10 years. It’s a screw cap!

2009 Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

(100% Cabernet Sauvignon)

This one earned our “pfg” rating.  Aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate that carry through to the palate bringing in flavors of espresso and cardamom, which balance with the deep, round tannins.  This wine would benefit from aging 5-10 years.

Wonder what appellation would appeal to you?  Here’s a quick description of flavor profiles typically produced from some of the more popular areas:

Howell Mountain – powerful, firm, richly tannic, with blackberry-currant flavors

Mount Veeder – tannic backbone with dark fruit and floral flavors & aromas

Rutherford – subtle tannins, with tastes of mineral, earthy & cherry

St. Helena – deep and ripe, “chewy” and round with flavors of currant, blackberry & chocolate

Spring Mountain – powerful, tight, richly tannic & mineral-y, red fruit notes, good acidity for aging

Stags Lead District – lush and velvety, with soft tannins and perfumes of cherry and red berry

Yountville - Ripe but supple, with firm tannins and aromas of violets and black raspberry

How We're All Connected in 6 Degrees of Wine

Last Friday night, Sally and I enjoyed a bottle of 2006 Benzinger Stone Farm Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon while dining at our favorite local restaurant, Terra American Bistro. The wine and the meal were both fantastic, but the experience also reminded us how sharing wine creates so many fun and interesting connections. We did the calculations and realized that the Benzinger we were enjoying that night could be traced back to our love of wine in just six degrees of separation.

And no, Kevin Bacon is not involved.

Sally drinking Benzinger at Terra#1: Benziger

Benziger is a certified organic winery in the Sonoma wine region. They make a lot of fantastic wine, including the Cabernet Sauvignon we had at Terra. The 2006 Stone Farm Vineyards version had dark cherry and blackberry flavors with incredible tannins that started with the first taste and lasted all the way down. It was a wonderful match with Sally's bistro burger and my chipotle skirt steak. The only problem is we had purchased only one bottle, so this was a one and done experience. Boo.

#2: Lenore

My friend Lenore had recommended we try Benzinger when we were planning one of our wine adventures a few years ago. Friends are always a great source of ideas for trying new wines, and Lenore's suggestion didn't disappoint. Over the years, we've discovered many terrific new wines this way.  

A tasty glass of Matanzas Creek Merlot#3: Matanzas Creek Winery

Sally and I recently enjoyed a bottle of 2006 Matanzas Creek Merlot. How did we discover this wine? Lenore shared a bottle with me. Proving that shared bottles are the best bottles, this one was tremendous. We normally try to pair nice wine with a nicer meal, but this time we were in the mood for comfort food and opened it up with plain ol' spaghetti. The Merlot made the spaghetti seem gourmet and we continued to savor the wine long after the meal was finished. It had brighter fruit flavors than a typical Merlot, but was soft and delicate with wonderful tannins on the finish.

Jane Messick pouring wine at Mazzocco#4 Mazzocco Winery

Why did Lenore give us a bottle of wine from Matanzas Creek Winery? Besides being a very nice person, she remembered us talking about a winery I liked in Sonoma. Mazzocco and Mantanzas sound a lot a like, so it was a happy accident that Sally and I discovered a new winery in the process. We had visited Mazzocco in 2007 with our friend Heather and had a great time. Side note - we discovered Mazzocco thanks to our real estate agent, Pat Donovon, who gave us a bottle as a housewarming gift.

Jeff starting to get a little blurry at Hess#5 Artezin Wines

While tasting wine at Mazzocco, we met Jane Messick, who sells grapes used to make Artezin Zinfandel. We love Artezin!

#6 The Hess Collection

Artezin is made by Hess, one of our favorite wineries. Hess is the first wine that we both remember getting us excited about wine. And, it's probably our most shared.

Not in to green beer? Celebrate with Wine from an Irish American Winery

I just can’t get in to green beer, especially when paired with foods unnaturally converted green to “celebrate” St. Patrick’s Day. Fortunately, there are other options to choose ~ Irish whiskey, and even wine!  Toast our Irish friends by raising a glass with one of these favorite wines from Irish American vineyards/wine producers.  Slainte!

Mayacamas Vineyards – Travers Family

Mayacamas is currently owned by the Travers family, which they purchased in 1968.  Their ’71 Vintage Cabernet Sauvignon was selected for the “Judgement of Paris” tasting.  They also produce an excellent  Chardonnay.  It is crisp, light & fruity, and balances really well with food.  My personal favorite is their ripe and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. 

Chateau Montelena Winery – Barrett Family

Jim Barrett restored most of the original vineyards and completely refurbished the winery after he purchased in 1972.  This winery also competed in the famous ’76 Paris Tasting, and took home the win for their ’73 Chardonnay.  When we visited the winery, we unfortunately were not able to taste the Chardonnay due to limited supply.  We really enjoy the Riesling, which is an off dry, refreshing wine that has great balance with a long clean finish ~ very refreshing.