Château 128 Wine Tasting

Series

Week 3 – Cabernet

Sauvignon

February 11, 2012

Why Cabernet Sauvignon?

• Was the world’s most widely planted red grape until the 1990’s (surpassed by Merlot)

• Grown all over the world

• Noble Grape

White Noble Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay

Red Noble Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot

Nomenclature

• Previously called Petite Vidure

• Name derives from Scottish ‘folklore’?

• Cabernet refers to a game that had developed in Aquitaine a few decades before the 1855 classification of the local crus. At the time there was a large scottish community, and when the caber tossers met with the local football players, they decided to replace the ball with a large stick. The players had to chuck the big stick (actually a tree trunk) into each other's net, hence the name "caber-net" (pron: cay-behr-net). When the french scored, it was called a caber-net franc. When the scottish scored, it was called a caber-net sauvignon (they were considered wild men, and their mascot was a cat that was often caught peeing on the caber). The players of this novel game were reputedly very strong from all the tossing, so they always were picked to do the local vendange. They were an eager lot, and even introduced the notion of "batonnage" - they could not resist tossing even in the chai. In their honour, the local grapes were named after their favourite game.

Nomenclature

• Previously called Petite Vidure

• Name derives from Scottish ‘folklore’?

– Is this true?

• Offspring of Cabernet Franc

& Sauvignon Blanc (17th c.)

• Originates from Bordeaux region

• DNA test (1996):

About the Grape

• Variety of:– soil types (gravel in Bordeaux)– climates

• Thick skins resistant to rot and frost

Flavour / Nose

• Harvested while unripe: Pyrazines

PYRAZINE?

Flavour / Nose

• Harvested while unripe: Pyrazines– Green bell pepper flavour

• Low pyrazines, cool region– Mint flavour

• Where eucalyptus grows– Eucalyptus flavour

Other flavours

• Jammy Overripe grapes

• Black currants

• Black cherries• Plums Young wines

• Fruit flavours

• Tobacco• Cigar Boxes• Pencil Shavings• Cedar

Tea-bagging

Oak (vanilla, spice)

+ Cabernet Sauvignon

Deliciousness

• 1980s, Bulgarian wine industry thrived

• Criticism: globalization of wine, cabernet assimilation

But then again…

Cabernet Sauvignon:

Tonight’s food pairings-

• Mild to medium strength cheese (Cheddar)

• Pasta with tomato sauce

• Red meats

• Eggplant (baba ganoush)

• Chocolate (bitter / semi-sweet)

Château 128 Wine Tasting

Series

Week 4 –

Now can we finally:

Drink .. er .. Taste!?

Flavours

• Jammy Overripe grapes

• Black currants

• Black cherries• Plums Young wines

• Fruit flavours

• Tobacco• Cigar Boxes• Pencil Shavings• Cedar

• Green Pepper, Mint, Eucalyptus