With winter in full swing, we’re embracing the warming qualities of our red wines, with one standing out as a holiday classic. Cabernet Sauvignon is not only one of our most popular wines here at District Winery, it’s also the most planted wine grape in the world! That’s right, Cabernet Sauvignon is truly wine royalty, making it the perfect addition to your holiday table or New Year’s celebration.
Since this grape is planted in so many regions around the world, including the United States, we had several options when it came to choosing a vineyard to source our grapes from. To make the most of the vast microclimates in California’s wine region, we brought in fruit from two separate vineyards: Atwood Ranch in Sonoma and Lanza Family Vineyard in Suisun Valley. Both of these vineyards have deep wine-making roots, with their origins dating back to 1850 and 1936, respectively. In both locations, Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes resulting in rich, fruit-forward wine with a lush mouthfeel.
So how do we achieve such a perfectly balanced wine? Well it all starts on the vine. Cabernet Sauvignon is a late-ripening grape, meaning it’s one of the last to be harvested in order to achieve the right balance of sugar, acidity and tannin. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape has a thick skin, meaning higher levels of tannin that can be balanced with perfectly ripe fruit. This also creates a wonderfully rich texture in the wine that can stand up to the equally powerful flavors in your favorite holiday foods.
Our winemakers also chose to blend in two additional grape varieties in this bottle, in order to balance the strong characteristics of this powerhouse grape. Small percentages of Merlot and Cabernet Franc can be found in this wine, providing a touch of softness and elegance. Our winemakers describe this bottle as “deep, brooding and immensely satisfying,” without being overly fruity or jammy. Twenty-two months of aging in barrel gives the wine a dense purple hue with warm aromas of vanilla and cocoa.
We recommend pairing our Cabernet with your favorite meat dishes like roast beef, hearty stew or pasta bolognese. For vegetarians, savory mushroom dishes or even pizza are perfect pairings for this bold wine. If you have your own favorite Cabernet Sauvignon pairing, let us know and tag us in your foodie photos @districtwinery!
Cheers to the New Year and more amazing wine!
