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Uncorking Cabernet Sauvignon

1/16/2020

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In this week’s edition of Out of the Barrel, I’ve decided to make things a bit more interesting and have added a few trivia questions throughout the blog. 

1. What is the most popular and most planted grape variety in the world?

​I’ll give you a hint, it’s red. 
If you guessed Cabernet Sauvignon, you’re right! According to a study completed in 2011, Cabernet Sauvignon has over 700,00 acres planted worldwide! That’s a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon!

Cabernet Sauvignon is believed to have originated in the Bordeaux region of France and is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Yay for happy accidents!

​There are numerous regions throughout the world that are known for growing Cabernet. In the Old World, France is the key country for growing Cabernet. Spain and Italy also grow a good bit of Cabernet, but not nearly the acreage of France. Cabernet has also made a name for itself widely throughout the New World, which is any country outside of Europe such as the United States, Chile, Australia, and Argentina, etc. When most people think of New World Cabernet, typically the first place they think of is the Napa Valley in California.

Speaking of Napa Valley, here is the second trivia question.

2. 
What was the vintage and producer of the Cabernet Sauvignon that won the red category in the 1976 Judgement of Paris? (Hint, if you need a refresher, you can find the answer is in my blog post from July 4th.) 

While you’re thinking,  let’s talk more about what you can expect from Cabernet and a few food pairing options. 

Cabernet is known for being a full bodied and tannic wine. It is also a late ripening grape, which is why warmer climates are best suited for the grape. Have you ever gone into a tasting room in Virginia that has a Cabernet Sauvignon, tried it and thought to yourself (or possibly out loud) that this wine isn’t as full bodied as you thought it would be? You were expecting more of a Napa Cabernet, but got a lighter, less intense version of it? This change is because the climate differences. Virginia’s climate is considered a humid, subtropical region. In the Shenandoah Valley we average 10 degrees cooler than the coast, but we still get the humidity in the summer. Napa Valley, on the other hand, has more of a Mediterranean climate where they experience hot, dry summers and mild winters, and their growing season lasts longer than ours.

Onto food, because honestly, who doesn’t love food? First thing that typically comes to mind for most people when pairing Cabernet Sauvignon is steak. As mentioned earlier, Cabernet Sauvignon is generally a very tannic wine and when paired with a meat that is a little fattier and juicier, such as a ribeye, the wine will balance out nicely. “What if I don’t eat meat?” Don’t worry, there are options for those who prefer meatless dishes and still love Cabernet! Meatless lasagne is a great option because the combination of pasta, cheese and sauce will stand up to the tannins in the wine. 

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On Bluestone's main property, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown right behind the tasting room patio and is the last block on the hill closest to The Meadow.
To wrap up this week’s blog, I have the answer to question two and one final question. The answer to question two is the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, the final question.

3. What event is happening on Sunday, January 26th, 2020?

If you guessed the Cabernet Sauvignon seminar, you’re right! Our winemaker, Lee, will be leading a seminar all about Cabernet! This is one you don’t want to miss, especially if you want an opportunity to try a variety of wines from regions you may not have known make Cabernet. The event will take place in the banquet hall of the Meeting House from 2-4 p.m. The cost is $20 per person. Press Club is $15 (with max of 2 tickets). Purchase tickets by calling the Tasting Room at (540) 828-0099 or online. Reservations are required for this event.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Out of the Barrel and for playing along with the trivia questions! Cheers!
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Tips and Tricks for Chocolate and Wine Pairings

1/2/2020

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PicturePhoto from Warfels Chocolate
Happy New Year everyone! As we begin this new year, I was thinking about the different topics I could start the year out on and the first thing that came to mind was chocolate! Probably because as I’m writing this, I’m snacking on chocolate truffles that were in my stocking from Christmas.

How does one go about deciding which type of chocolates go with different types of wine? That’s the theme of this week’s blog. For those of you who are reading this, it may just come in handy for an annual event that we host each January. More on those details later, but for now, let’s talk about pairings. 

Wine and chocolate pairings aren’t much different than other food and wine pairings, it’s about two main things: personal preference and balance. When working with pairings there are overall tips and tricks to help narrow down overall options. With the different kinds of chocolate (white, milk, dark) and flavors (fruits, nuts, spices, etc) that can be added, where to begin? For me, I look at the main component of the chocolate in front of me and work from there.
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Let’s say in front of me is a dark chocolate espresso truffle. I love coffee as much as I love wine, so I thought this would be a fun example. The first thing I think about is that this is dark chocolate, which for me, narrows down my choices to red. The next thing I look at is finding a red that isn’t too tannic. A red wine with heavy tannins paired with dark chocolate will generally make it taste bitter. Which narrows my choices even more to say a medium-bodied red because I still want a wine that has structure, but not overpowering. Now, let’s look at the espresso part of the chocolate. Are there any wines available that have similar coffee or espresso characteristics? You can also think about other chocolate in the same way and if it has fruit or nuts and see what wines available have those similar characteristics. 

With all that being said for this particular chocolate (and also thinking about the wines we have at Bluestone), I’m going to be looking for a medium-bodied, dry red wine that has coffee or even chocolate notes to it. Final conclusion, Merlot. 

This was actually one of the pairings from a few years ago (and also one of my favorites) that I thought would be fun to share with you guys. We paired our 2013 Merlot with a dark chocolate espresso truffle and it was amazing! The 2013 had beautiful coffee notes on the nose and the fruitiness on the end of the palate helped to balance with the dark chocolate.

Moral of the story, start with the main focus of what the chocolate is; white, milk or dark and work your way from there. This can also apply to food pairings as well, by looking at the main dish (pork, beef, chicken, etc) and then look at sauces, seasonings, how it was prepared, etc to narrow down your choices.

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Now, about the annual event I was referring to earlier. Each January we hold our annual wine and chocolate pairing party! Attendees get to spend a couple hours trying an assortment of Bluestone wines and local chocolates from Warfel’s Sweet Shoppe in Dayton. This event does require reservations and spots are limited! The event this year takes place on Sunday, January 12th from 2-4 p.m. in the banquet hall of the Meeting House. Tickets are $25 per person. Press Club tickets are $20 per person (with a max of 2 tickets).  At the end of the event, attendees will be given a gift certificate good for one wine and chocolate tasting during our tastings in February. More details to come on that soon. 

Whether you’ve done this event before or this is your first time, I hope these tips will help you with your pairing options and also have fun with figuring out what wines go with what chocolates. 

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s edition of Out of the Barrel! Cheers!

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    Photo of Ranee Bartley

    Author

    Raneé Bartley 
    Tasting Room Manager 

    ​Raneé started at Bluestone Vineyard in August 2015.  She thinks writing a blog about wine will be a fun and educational addition to Bluestone Vineyard. Her passion for wine has grown over the years and she is currently in pursuit to become a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. While at Bluestone, she enjoys sharing about wine with guests in the tasting room. 

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