Chardonnay & Oak Aging
This dry white wine, made from the Chardonnay grape, is the most popular of its variety. Chardonnay ranges in style, with some oakier versions contributing to taste. The purpose of Chardonnay aged in oak is to add some of the oaks characters, along with helping the wine develop its texture. Winemakers may lightly toast the inner surface of barrels, allowing the smoky oak or toasty characters to be detected in the final product. Oak gives the taste a dimension of spiciness and adds a hint of vanilla or coconut to the grapes aroma. The oak and Chardonnay combination is a favorite that is sure to last!
Wine Tasting - The Sense of Smell
There are a few very important things to note when we "nose" a wine. It is suggested to first smell the wine before swirling, noticing the delicate aromas. Next, swirl the wine and smell again after it is at rest. Depending on the bouquet, you may then notice a profound difference in the odors emerging. Aroma is a smell that originates from the actual grape, with very clear cut characteristics. Aroma is most prevalent in young wines. The bouquet of a wine refers to smells generated as a result of aging; smells found particularly in mature wines that were aged in a bottle. The bouquet generally has much softer and complex characteristics than aromas. Identifying what you smell is usually the most challenging part in wine tasting. Although there are many smell categories used to describe characteristics of wine, none have been exclusively agreed upon.
Cabernet Sauvignon (pronounced CA-burr-nay SO-vin-yawn):
The "king" of the world’s red wine grapes, cabernet sauvignon originated in the Bordeaux region of France, but also produces superlative wines around the globe, including California, Washington State, South America, Eastern Europe, and Australia. In California, the finest renditions generally come from the Napa Valley.
Cabernet
Sauvignon is a late-ripening variety, with small, deeply colored,
thick-skinned berries that yield dark, intensely flavored, tannic,
long-lived wines that often require years of aging to soften and
become drinkable. Like chardonnay, the grape can be grown in a
multitude of different growing regions and conditions (although
it prefers warmer climates) and yet reliably impart characteristic
varietal aromas and flavors, which most often are compared to
black currant, cherry, bell pepper and green olive.
Cabernet Sauvignon profits from blending with other complementary grape types, such as the softer, fruitier merlot and the highly perfumed cabernet franc (with which it is customarily blended in Bordeaux), and also from extended wood aging, most notably in French oak barrels. Often hard and monochromatic when young, cabernet sauvignon, with extended bottle aging, can develop fine, complex aromas and flavors.
Cabernet is an excellent accompaniment to red meats, especially steak and roast beef.
