Cabernet Sauvignon – Blind Tasting   # 129    January 26, 2012, Da Domenico Ristorante Italiano, 12:30

This Post Contents:

• I   –     The Wines
• II  –     Menú del Almuerzo
• III –    Opinión de los miembros acerca de los vinos catados
• IV  –   La Uva Cabernet Sauvignon,  Alfonso Sanchez
• V   –     Definition: Cabernet Sauvignon
• VI –       Wikipedia info on Cabernet Sauvignon
• VII  –    Short video by Jane Nickles on the virtudes of Cabernet Sauvignon
• VIII   –  Birthdays to Celebrate in January; Happy Birthday to You
• IX    –   Is your address correct?
• X     –      Cabernet Sauvigon 4000 anos antes de Cristo?

I      –    The Wines

 (the blind tasting does not follow this sequence)

Alvaro Lopez and Juan Luis Colaiacovo promise a memorable blind tasting on January 26. The Cabernet Sauvignon  wines come from France, Napa and Chile.  There is also a dessert wine from Italy. It must be good!

Chateau Hortevie St. Julien, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

 Product Information:    Type: Red Wine

Varietal: Bordeaux Blend – Cabernet Savignon

Country: France          Region: Bordeaux

Appellation:  Saint-Julien       Producer: Chateau Hortevie

                                 Alcohol: 12.50%        Price: USD $ 40 before tax

from  BeltwayFineWine, Towson MD the wine seller:  Elegant, Cassis, Spice, Cedar, Medium-Bodied

Wine Advocate  88 – St Julien, Bordeaux, France- “Herbal, black cherry, cedar and cassis notes…succulent, full-bodied, seductive, plush. Impressively endowed with beautiful purity, and notes of cassis fruit intermixed with licorice, tar, pepper, and crushed rocks, this is fresh, tannic, vibrant,…amazing.”

International Cellar  (quoting  Wine Advocate): “Owned by Mr. Bruno Borie and made by the Ducru Beaucaillou team, this wine has really improved in quality over the last three years. Last year I said the 2005 was the best Hortevie ever produced, I now believe the 2006 is better! Rich ripe black fruits, sweet oak, and a touch of herbs. Classy and less rustic then in the past with a great balance of texture and length. Chris Lano

In 2006  Wine Advocate gives 87 points and writes: Made by Bruno Borie at Ducru-Beaucaillou, this offering is an exclusive of the famous negociant, Nathaniel Johnston founded in 1734, by the way. It exhibits sweet black currant and ripe cherry fruit along with notions of herbs, damp earth, and spice box. Sensual and round, it is ideal for drinking over the next 5-6 years.

Cousino-Macul Finis Terrae – Cabernet Sauvignon–2008, Chile

Product Information:   Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon            Region: Maipo Valley Chile

Alcohol by volume: 14.4%   About USD $ 23.00 + tax

89 Points by Wine Enthusiast

Winemaker’s notes:

This Antiguas Reservas’ vintage shows an intense red color with hints of violet and burgundy. It has an expressive nose, with aromas of red berries and black cherries. In mouth, it is nice and fruity, with notes of ripe plum. Its rich acidity and soft tannins makes it a well structured and elegant wine.

It is an ideal wine to accompany red meats like steak with mushrooms, stewed lamb, doves, partridges and kidneys in sherry.

Critical acclaim:

“True Maipo aromas of tobacco, eucalyptus, earth and herbal berry lead to a full and rugged palate with plenty of tannic grip and loads of black fruit, cassis and chocolate flavors. Long and more chocolaty on the finish, with a touch of medicinality.”

 2007 Edgewood Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valey, California

About USD $ 23.00 before tax

Cellar Tracker reports:

Community Tasting Notes (average 89.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 22 notes) – hiding notes with no text

— Tasted by CousinGreg on 5/26/2011 & rated 74 points: I’ve had better boxed wine. (1218 views)

— Tasted by Kentw on 2/12/2011 & rated 89 points: Classic Cali Cab. 07 vintage shows well compared to 05. Initial opening, full bodied with a lush mouth feel. Mocha, dark chocolate and tobacco notes with blackberry. Some oak present. Finish dry with some tannins. Second day, opened up a bit, some blueberry evident and tannins a bit softer. Ready to drink now but I think a couple of years cellaring will improve further. Fairly smooth and easy drinking, especially with cheeses and red meat. Great QPR for $15. Will get more. (1483 views)

— Tasted by Snoman on 11/24/2010 & rated 89 points: Amazing QPR for a $10 Napa Valley cabernet…..Dark purple in glass, nearly opaque, with nose of cassis, smoke and black fruit, carries to palate with support of medium tannic structure. Not terribly complex, but very enjoyable with a classic flavor profile. (1983 views)

— Tasted by THaas on 9/24/2010 & rated 88 points: Decent cab. Opened up one-dimensional, with lots of fruit (cassis and cherry) and no structure. As the bottle breathed, the tannins become more evident, showing up as a bit of cedar/tobacco in the second glass. (2076 views)

 Osborne– Manzanilla Fina

Country:   Spain              Region: D.O. Jerez 

Varietal: Manzanilla     750ml        USD $12.99

•Perfect aperitif for tapas     •Serve chilled 87 Points – “Petrol and crisp sea air control the nose, while the palate has saline, lemon and bitter almond flavors. Chalky and tight on the finish, with some mushroom and vanilla nuance.” -Wine Enthusiast

TASTING NOTES: “Elegant yet persistent, this outstanding Sherry combines a broad structure with subtle and lingering mineral, flint, petrol and vanilla flavors. Quality this high at a price this low is increasingly rare, enjoy.” -Wine Spectator

from Chris Shanahan’s blog: posted 24 of February of 2008:

Manzanilla, from Sanlucar de Barrameda, Andalucia, is the lightest and finest of Spain’s fino sherries. It’s at its best when freshly bottled, like this just-landed Osborne – imported by Coles for Vintage Cellars and 1st Choice. At 15 per cent alcohol it’s only marginally stronger than your typical Aussie chardonnay but, of course, it has that tangy sherry edge that you’ll either love or hate. The colour’s pale and the palate is beautifully fresh, bone dry and permeated by the sherry tang – a product of controlled oxidation during maturation under a film of yeast cells in oak for three and a half years. The savoury tang works well with many foods – for example char-grilled seafood, olives and smoked meats.

Dessert Wine:

Cupcake Vineyards. DOC Piemontese Moscato. 2010

Country: Italy    (sold by Cupcake from Napa, CA)  Content:   5.5% alcohol.

Vibrant and expressive floral notes dominate with hints of peach and flavors of tropical fruits and lychee. It is a soft and luscious wine with just a hint of effervescence to tickle the palate and balance the sweetness. With bright fruit flavors and finesse, it’s reminiscent of a pineapple rightside up cupcake.

From   http://thewinoswineguide.blogspot.com:   2012/Jan/11

Here is a Moscato that the White Wine Wino picked up today.  Comes from Cupcake Vineyards in Italy.  Sweet taste… Sweeter than other Moscatos we have tried.  Both Winos agreed on a Good Rating.  Will buy it again in the future.

II  – Menú del Almuerzo

• 1 – Entrada : Carpaccio di Manzo
• 2 – Primer Plato: Gnocchi Pomodoro
• 3 – Segundo Plato a seleccionar de:          a- Tonno Grigliano
  b- Scallopine di Vitello Porcini
  c- Petto di Pollo Marsala
•  4 – Postre

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III  –     Opinión de los miembros acerca de los vinos catados

IV   –   LA UVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Alfonso Sánchez

CARACTERÍSTICAS

La Cabernet Sauvignon es una de las variedades viníferas más importantes y famosas si no la más en la elaboración de vinos en el mundo.  Se desarrolló en Burdeos y comenzó a denominarse por su nombre entre los siglos 18 y 19 y se encuentra en casi todas las regiones productoras de vino en mayor o menor grado.  Se cultiva en las regiones más cálidas debido a su lenta maduración que requiere temperaturas cálidas durante el prolongado ciclo de maduración.  Pero ello le da más concentración y no demasiado alcohol.  La variedad no es apta para climas fríos ya que si no madura bien adquiere un sabor herbáceo parecido a la Sauvignon Blanc (otra pariente) o a la Cabernet Franc.  Por el contrario si madura demasiado puede producir vinos faltos de acidez y dulzones.

Se caracteriza por ser una variedad de rendimientos bajos por lo tanto se usa solo en vinos cuya calidad es el objetivo central.  Los granos son pequeños de cascara gruesa y purpura muy oscura hasta casi negra, con una alta relación de sólidos colorantes y tánicos a jugo.  Por lo tanto sus mostos son oscuros y astringentes (sólo la uva Tanat la supera en taninos) lo que favorece su mezcla con otras variedades para suavizar su astringencia, mejorar el color y resaltar los sabores.  Las mezclas más corrientes son con su pariente la Cabernet Franc (de maduración más rápida y gran fragancia), con la Petit Verdot y con la Merlot para suavizar los taninos dando lugar a las mezclas tipo Burdeos.  Muchos prefieren estas mezclas sobre los vinos estrictamente varietales (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) que pueden resultar muy austeros o sobrios a algunos consumidores.  En Australia han desarrollado excelentes mezclas con Shiraz que es una variedad más especiada.

Los vinos de esta variedad son de un color rojo oscuro a púrpura profundo con tintes violáceos cuando el vino es joven que adquiere con visos color naranja profundo o ladrillo a medida que el vino envejece.  Sus aromas cuando joven son predominantemente a casis o arándanos (black berries) y cuando está mas añejo a madera de roble, café, vainilla y aún a tabaco.  Los sabores de los vinos jóvenes tienden a ser tánicos y ásperos pero estos se suavizan gracias al almacenamiento en barriles de roble nuevos alcanzando un delicado balance entre la fruta, el tanino y los ácidos con sabores a frutas negras (ciruelas y casis), roble, y vainilla.  Este balance es la característica de los grandes Cabernet Sauvignon.  Los mejores vinos pueden envejecer hasta 15 o 20 años y mejorar en el proceso.

REGIONES

La Cabernet Sauvignon es la espina dorsal de los vinos de la rivera izquierda del rio Gironda en Burdeos mezclado con Merlot, Cabernet Franc y Petit Verdot, allí están las DDOs de altísima reputación como Médoc, Pauillac, St. Julien, Margaux, Haut Médoc y Graves.  En Provenza se mezcla con Sirah para producir vinos que envejecen extremadamente bien.  En Italia se usa para producir los famosos Super Toscanos (mezclada con Sangiovese) y también en el Piemonte y en Sicilia con sus nativas Nebiolo y Nero dÁbola.  La Cabernet Sauvignon es muy importante en los vinos de Europa del Este (Moldava, República Checa, Ucrania, Bulgaria, Rumania).  Sin embrago los vinos de estas regiones tienden a ser mas afrutados con sabor a frutas rojas más que negras y menos madera y menos refinados que los franceses.  Es España su usa para cortar la Tempranillo (Rioja, Rivera del Duero y Navarra) y la Garnacha (Priorat y Penedés).

En el nuevo mundo son notables los cabernets de Napa y Sonoma en California, muy apetecidos y más afrutados que los del viejo mundo y que tienen un envejecimiento mas corto.  En Sur América son famosos los Cabernets Chilenos (Concha y Toro es reconocido como el mayor propietario de cultivos de Cabernet Sauvignon) afrutados y menos especiados que los demás del nuevo mundo aún plantados en sus cepas originales no afectadas por la phyloxera.  En Argentina se producen Cabernets de altura de buena calidad en Mendoza.  En Australia la región de Coonawarra en el sur y  Hunter Valley producen excelentes Cabernets de gran cuerpo frecuentemente combinados con Shiraz.

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A few facts on the varietal Cabernet Sauvignon:

V  –   Definition: Cabernet Sauvignon, from About.com WINE (http://wine.about.com/od/vineyardvocab/g/cabernetssauvig.htm)

Cabernet Sauvignon, often referred to as the “King of Red Wine Grapes,” originally from Bordeaux, with a substantial foothold in California’s wine races, has the privilege of being the world’s most sought after red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes tend to favor warmer climates and are often an ideal wine for aging, with 5-10 years being optimal for the maturation process to peak. Because Cabs take a bit longer to reach maturation, allowing their flavors to mellow, they are ideal candidates for blending with other grapes, primarily Merlot. This blending softens the Cabernet, adding appealing fruit tones, without sacrificing its innate character.

Flavor Profile

Cabs range from medium-bodied to full-bodied and are characterized by their high tannin content which serves to provide structure and intrigue while supporting the rich fruit characteristics. The flavor profile includes plum, cherry, blackberry, blueberry, warm spice, vanilla, tobacco and sometimes leather aromas and or flavors.

Food Pairings: red meats, flavorful and heartier (red) pastas, lamb, strong-flavored cheese, and chocolates (especially dark).

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VI  –     At the Wikipedia  we find abundant  information on the Cabernet Sauvignon  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabernet_Sauvignon)  The following represents a small portion of the article:

Cabernet Sauvignon (French: [ka.bɛʁ.nɛ so.vi.ɲɔ̃]) is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada’s Okanagan Valley toLebanon’s Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New Worldwhere it found new homes in places like California’s Napa Valley, Australia’s Coonawarra region and Chile’s Maipo Valley. For most of the 20th century, it was the world’s most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s.^[1]

Despite its prominence in the industry, the grape is a relatively new variety, the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is often attributed to its ease of cultivation – the grapes have thick skins and the vines are hardy and resistant to rot and frost – and to its consistent presentation of structure and flavours which express the typical character (“typicity“) of the variety. Familiarity and ease of pronunciation have helped to sell Cabernet Sauvignon wines to consumers, even when from unfamiliar wine regions. Its widespread popularity has also contributed to criticism of the grape as a “colonizer” that takes over wine regions at the expense of native grape varieties.^[2]

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VII –   In YouTube there is this 2 minute video  on Cabernet Sauvignon that is short and precise. The expert is Jane Nickles.  She  is the author of “Wine Speak 101”, and wine writer for “The Texas Wine and Food Gourmet”, and “Eat and Drink Magazine”.  More wine videos by Ms. Nickles are available at  Expert Village (http://www.youtube.com/user/expertvillage?feature=watch) (note: at the ExpertVillage site, on the search channel you must put “wine”)

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VIII    –  Birthdays to celebrate in January:

Luis Carlos (Lula) Danin Lobo:   2 

Bolivar Cobos: 14

Clarita Estrada: 14

Atilio Nieto: 17

IX    –        Is your address correct? Telephone? Mobile? E-mail? Day of birth?  The membership directory is not complete. Please revise it and send the corrections to Hugo Benito, Clara Estrada, Geman Zincke e Cecílio Augusto Berndsen    Check it out in the right top of the blog under  “Directory-Addresses”  password protected.

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X    –    Cabernet Sauvignon de 4000 Anos Antes de Cristo?

Cientistas descobrem primeira vinícola, com “safra 4000 a.C.”

Arqueólogos encontraram, na Armênia, restos de uva, sementes e até uma caneca. Arqueólogos divulgaram na terça-feira (11) a descoberta daquela que pode ter sido a primeira vinícola da história da humanidade, com mais de 6.000 anos de idade.

Os restos da instalação foram encontrados em uma escavação na Armênia,
próxima à fronteira com o Irã.

“Esta é, até hoje, a maior instalação para produção de vinho
relativamente completa, com as fases de esmagamento das uvas,
fermentação e armazenamento in situ [no próprio local]”, afirma Hans
Barnard, autor do artigo sobre o estudo, publicado na terça-feira no
“Journal of Archaeological Science”.

“Era uma instalação relativamente pequena. Para consumo diário de
vinho, deveria haver prensas maiores”, diz George Areshian, codiretor
da escavação e diretor-assistente da Universidade da Califórnia em Los
Angeles.

Entre os resíduos, também foi possível identificar sementes de uvas,
restos da fruta esmagada, pedaços de cerâmica com vestígios de vinho e
até uma caneca.

A equipe deduziu que os tipos de vinho produzidos no local eram
“merlot” e “cabernet sauvignon“, espécies de uvas típicas da região de
Bordeaux, na França, usadas na fabricação de vinhos tintos.

No mesmo local, aliás, foi encontrado, em junho de 2010, o sapato mais
velho do mundo, de 5.500 anos.

Pela quantidade de átomos de carbono presentes nos resíduos orgânicos,
os cientistas foram capazes de estimar a data de construção da antiga
vinícola, instalada entre 4100 e 4000 a.C.

Segundo Areshian, a comprovação de que havia fabricação de vinho no
local veio da presença da malvidina, substância encontrada na uva e um
dos principais corantes do vinho tinto. Também foi encontrada grande
quantidade de ácido tartárico, presente na bebida, mas também em
diversas plantas.

(Folha de SP, 12/1)

Prima Auricula