Cabernet Sauvignon; King of all Grapes
H. Marisol Ramirez is the Associate Producer of Merlove, a documentary about Merlot wine, Director of Guest Services at Darioush Winery in Napa and an admitted, hopeless oenophile. With the imminent introduction of our own Sacre Bleu, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, we thought an homage to the grape would be in order. Who better then to go to for a snapshot summary of Cabernet Sauvignon than Ms. Ramirez?
Let us bow down to his majesty Cabernet Sauvignon, king of all grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon makes his name world renowned due to his strong “Type A” personality. Strong, upfront and in your face. He makes himself easily recognized by his intensity.
This highly tannic and acidic grape is a complete powerhouse. It is the one-two punch. With such skin to pulp ratio of small proportions, it is no wonder it shows off with such delight. We have come to rely and utterly celebrate its high concentration of phenolic, due to its tiny berries with thick skins and luscious juice. The late ripening grape gives us much character in the end product, especially when stressed to its limits. We’re talking possible flavor bursts of cassis, crushed blackberries, black currants, black plums and ripe black cherries.
It is key to not pick to soon because unripe fruit may scream out such things as mint, eucalyptus, green bell pepper, grassiness and other vegetal or herbaceous notes. With most Cabernet Sauvignon wine, it can age 10-15+ years. The aroma and flavor profile may then change into sung notes of cedar box, pencil shavings, cigar box and leather.
The truth of the matter is that this tiny lime-lighted grape is nothing but large in its emotional output. It is, in fact, the key element and structural backbone to the famed Left Bank Bordeaux red wines from France.
Cabernet Sauvignon can put on the tough guy attitude but can still be coaxed into being a smooth operator, especially when it gets help from some of its friends (e.g. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec & Petit Verdot). It can also simply be a matter of where the fruit is growing, soil type and micro-climate. This is pretty much like humans as we, too, are products of our genetics and upbringing.
Let’s not forget the clothes or facade one must wear too. In this wine’s case, it would be the oak regimen. There are definite choices to be made in order to show best Cabernet Sauvignon’s most magnificent magic. Cabernet Sauvignon is a serious wine for the serious wine drinker.
Praise to the King of all Grapes and his style!
Editors note. Merlove is a documentary celebrating Merlot wine in response to the movie Sideways. Have the courage to embark on your own wine adventure.
