Cabernet Sauvignon, a Hearty Wine

     In my journey towards learning to love and appreciate red wine, I have found one consistent red varietal that I almost always love, no matter the brand nor price. Cabernet Sauvignon is a favorite of mine. It is earthy, typically has a smooth finish, and is one of California's signature red grapes. 

    I recently had a Cab from California, a 2010 from Burlwood Cellars. This particular wine is semi-dry and full- bodied. The nose smells of tobacco, cherry, and oak. On a side note, an important thing to remember before you sip on a freshly opened bottle of wine, is that you need to let the wine breathe. This is crucial to achieve the full taste of the wine. Think about it, wine sits in the same bottle from anywhere between 2 to 50+ years. Allowing the wine to sit anywhere between 15-20 minutes allows the wine to mix with the air, bringing down the temperature (a key part to drinking red wine the best way), allows the aromas to strengthen and entice your nose, softens the flavor profile, and mellows out the entire taste of the wine. I almost always let me wine sit for at least 10 minutes before I try it. Red wines with high tannins might need to breath longer. More information can be found in the article Letting Wine Breath. Understanding the ins and outs of wine tasting can make the entire experience more enjoyable. Before I knew about letting wine breath, I was almost always hit with an acidic, bitter tasting red wine. 

source: corkbin.com

     Being healthy and making healthy choices is a high priority in my life. I typically enjoy drinks and food dishes that are healthy for me, and will even choose them over a better tasting alternative. With that said, Cabernet Sauvignon is not only a tasty grape, but it is also extremely healthy. In fact, it has been deemed the healthiest red wine for the heart. In an article published by BBC, Cabs have been said to have, "high levels of resveratrol - which increases levels of "good" cholesterol and slows production of "bad" cholesterol." As I have mentioned before, red wines in general have positive benefits too. "Red grapes are also high in other antioxidants called polyphenols that prevent cell damage from free radicals", and "red wine - even diluted 100 times - is a better antioxidant than vitamin E". The article can be found at BBC News for more information on the health benefits of red wines. 

     This particular Cab was wonderful. Easy to drink, smooth finish, lasting after taste, and extremely intense notes of cherry. My taste buds were happy and so am I. It is always a pleasure to find a good red wine- I will definitely buy this Burlwood again. Although I typically pair Cabs with mellow tunes, my mouth was singing a different tune today when I tried this. Below is its pairing:

Hue: Red
Burlwood Cellars
Cabernet Sauvignon
California, 2010
Aldi's: around $5.00 a bottle

Tunes: Foster the People
-because they have awesome, upbeat songs that make you want to dance. 
-Houdini
-Don't Stop