This week I chose a bottle that is one of my favorites, especially for the week of Christmas. I always have a bottle on hand and for a Cabernet, it is very flexible and will fit into any situation that may arise.
The wine is made by Charles Smith, the same Charles Smith that I mentioned in my previous blog about the Charles and Charles 2017 Post No. 35. He was named Winemaker of the Year in 2009 by Food and Wine magazine and in 2014 was also named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.
This is a Cabernet from Washington State, which I think is an area that produces exceptional wines for the price and this particular Cabernet is a great example of this.
You get the aromas of cherry, blackberry, raspberry, violets, mocha and leather. When you taste it, it also has all those elements with the addition of mushrooms, tobacco and cedar. The finish is spicy and the tannins show up to give it structure. They build up in your mouth after you’ve taken a drink but are very balanced. Initially it is very fruit forward but then the more earthy elements come in to create a very delicious wine.
The other thing I like about this particular bottle is its flexibility. I love just drinking it alone at the end of the evening. However for a Cabernet, I find that it goes with a lot of different foods. Cheeseburgers bring out more of the earthy characteristics, while nachos will smooth out some of the spice and the wine will tone down any heat from chili peppers. It will be just as wonderful with a beef stew as it would be with a standing rib roast.
I highly recommend that you include it in with your Christmas celebrations. It will be on my table, to go with our traditional Christmas ham sandwiches and French onion chip dip. I may also have to open a bottle to get me through the marathon cooking sessions leading up to Christmas. For me, it’s a small price to pay.