Cabernet Sauvignon – The King of Reds
Big and bold, and often rich with tannins, the ever popular Cabernet Sauvignon is assertive and complex. The flavours and aroma of Cabernet Sauvignon range from heavy fruits such as cherry, blackberry and raspberry, to complex woody and peppery undertones.
This is classic Cabernet!
Welcome to Cartlidge & Browne’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose reveals a cornucopia of fruit and invites serious attention – plum, cherries and rhubarb pie notes coast alongside a savoury edge of dusty, dried herbs. Best part? The mouth-filling, suede textured, lingering finish.
For Tony Cartlidge and Glen Browne, as with many great entrepreneurs and iconoclasts of the 20th century, the legend began in 1980 in an undistinguished Napa Valley garage. Cartlidge—a dreamer with a love of wine and a fondness for taking the road less traveled—and Browne—a man of great business sense and a small amount to invest—set out to build a wine company from scratch.
As far as they could tell, there was no need (or, more to the point, not enough money) to buy an estate. Only a desire to seek out the best vineyards, harvest the best grapes and make the best wine possible.
Cartlidge scoured the appellations of the North Coast in his 1960 Rambler, from Napa to Sonoma to Mendocino to Lake, to source grapes farmed with care and concern for the land. He brought the harvest back to a simple garage winery to handcraft wines they knew people would enjoy as much as they did. Cartlidge & Browne wines soon began to garner raves from critics and wine lovers alike.
“Certain combinations make both the food and wine greater than the sum of their parts. ”
While few pairings are as iconic as big, bold Cabernets and juicy steaks; however, Cabernet Sauvignon can be food “flexible”.
Dried Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese
The earthiness of the mushrooms provides a magnificent meat-free match for Cabernet Sauvignon. Thank you to epicurious.com for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried porcini or other dried mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
- 3 cups hot water, more if needed
- 3 1/2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock, more if needed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 2 ounces mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, crumbled
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
How to Make It
Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour the hot water over them. Soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop them. Strain the liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a medium saucepan. Add the broth to the pan and bring to a simmer. In a medium pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms, the rice, and the salt and stir until the rice begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the broth has been completely absorbed. The rice and broth should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb it before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice in this way until tender, 25 to 30 minutes in all. The broth that hasn’t been absorbed should be thickened by the starch from the rice. You may not need to use all of the liquid, or you may need more broth or some water. Stir in the butter, pepper, and goat cheese. Serve the risotto with grated Parmesan.