Thirsty?
Today is #CabernetDay in the wine Twitterverse, and to help you celebrate and learn more about Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, I met up with Chris Morrison, Global Wine Ambassador of Pernod Ricard, to talk about Jacob’s Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.
I have to confess that Australian wine has as special place in my heart because long, long ago I was a waitress at Ouback Steakhouse. Before every shift, our manager would lead us through a tasting of a wine from the list there, asking us what we tasted and giving us pairing suggestions from the menu. It was a great way for a super wine novice to learn, and also help my guests at the tables.
Since then, I’ve come to appreciate many more wines and I’m delighted to get to taste a much broader variety.
Two I anticipate tasting very soon to celebrate #CabernetDay is Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which sells on Wine.com for $13.79 and Jacob’s Creek St. Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, which retails for about $35
To get us started here are a few Cabernet facts:
- The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is the most widely recognized red wine grape.
- The grape came in to existence as a meeting of Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc in France.
- Cabernet Sauvignon is the second most widely planted red wine grape in Australia.
- Many would agree that Cabernet Sauvignon is what put Napa on the worldwide wine-making map, when a 1973 Napa Cab swept the judges in a blind tasting in France in 1976.
- Cabernet is definitely one of the bolder red varieties and can also be quite complex.
- The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is also commonly part of red blends, as well as bottled on its own.
Here’s some of what Chris had to share with me about Australian Cabernet and Jacob’s Creek:
Cabernet has a long history at Jacob’s Creek, as it was in the original blend of the first Jacob’s Creek Dry Red released in 1976 with the 1973 vintage.
Chris said that Jacob’s Creek sources their Cabernet grapes for their premium wines from Coonawarra, which he believes to be the best region for Cabernet in Australia, due to its cool weather and ‘terra rossa’ soil which provides excellent drainage. The terroir gives the wines a signature touch of eucalyptus and mint.
Jacob’s Creek wine makers give the juice lots of skin contact to extract tannins and balance the fruit flavors, giving the Jacob’s Creek Cabernets a savory tannin structure and long finish, according to Chris.
What foods should you pair with Cabernet?
Aside from the typical juicy steak, Chris suggests roasted or grilled lamb as the best pairing. He said that any lean red meat will compliment the flavor of the wine.
He also explained that young Cabernet benefits from simple flavors in a dish while more mature, or older Cabernet, likes more complex flavors, especially from sauces or accompaniments like tomato or olive.
And here’s a tip he wanted to point out: “Salt reduces our perception of tannin as well, so buy a good one and don’t be afraid to use it,” Chris said.
I’ll report back as as soon as I can with my thoughts on these Cabs, as well as a few more next week. But first, I’ve got to go pour a few glasses and celebrate #CabernetDay! I hope you’ll enjoy a few today, and over the holiday weekend, too.
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