Call a Cab for Dad

This week-end celebrates Father’s Day.  With Dad in charge of the day’s menu, many will opt for a big, juicy steak on the grill.  This calls for a Cab.  Cabernet Sauvignon and steak are a quintessential food and wine pairing.  Let’s help Dads celebrate with some suggestions that will make this meal memorable.

Wine Facts

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted red varietal in the world.  It is enjoyed in the old world, new world and down under.  As the terroir (soil, climate) and wine making techniques vary dramatically throughout the world, so does the end product.  Cabs can be austere, big and bold or soft and fruity.

Tannins or tannic acid is an important element of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Tannins provide structure and allow for long term aging.  Tannins come from the grape skins and plant stems.  The amount of time the skins and stems come in contact with the grape juice determines the tannic level of a wine.

The left bank of the Bordeaux region of France tends to produce big, tannic and sometimes austere Cabs.  The wines from Pauillac and St.-Estephe are good examples of this style.  In California, as the saying goes, Cabernet is king.  It is the most widely planted red varietal in the state.  Napa Valley is famous for their big, bold cabs, that offer wonderful layers of fruit, powerful tannins and long finishes.  Because of the powerful tannins in Bordeaux and California Cabs, they offer long cellaring potential and generally need 5 years of aging before these tannins settle down.

Another style are the Cabs produced in Chile and Australia.  As a generality, these Cabs tend to be medium bodied, fruitier and less tannic.  With this style, you can open these wines sooner, pour and enjoy right away.  In Chile, red wines represent 75% of the country’s wine production and Cabernet dominates these plantings.  Chile has shifted away from valley floor high volume wine production, to lower volume hillside vineyards with improved wine making techniques.  This has dramatically improved the quality of these Cabs, and they represent some great wine values today.

Another country offering good values is Australia.  Shiraz is this country’s dominant grape and tends to fare best in Australia’s dry, hot climate.  Good quality Cabs are also produced here and it is worth noting that the Aussie’s produce an interesting Cab-Shiraz blend. These wines tend to be more fruity, spicy and less tannic then straight Cabs.

Food Pairings

As mentioned, Cabs are a great pairing with steak.  Cabs tend to be big and bold and can stand up to a meaty, well seasoned steak.  The tannins in the Cab serve several purposes.  Tannic acid helps cut through the fat in the steak that can coat your palate, allowing you to better enjoy the flavors of the meal.  Tannic acid also assists with digestion.

Recipe

To add great flavor to steak, hamburgers or lamb, this is an easy, very flavorful butter that is sure to impress.  The butter is versatile and can also be used on vegetables – terrific on roasted asparagus.  Roasting the garlic is very easy but will take an hour so plan ahead. Butter can be made ahead of time - keep chilled or frozen.

Blue Cheese Butter for Steak

2 Each Whole Heads of Garlic

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temp (1 Stick)

½ Cup Blue Cheese, Crumbled

2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Cut tops of whole head of garlic about ¾ inch to expose cloves.  Place garlic, cut side up on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil.  Seal foil and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour.  When garlic is cool, squeeze cloves out from their skins into medium bowl or food processor.  Mix garlic with butter, cheese and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place about 1 tablespoon of blue cheese butter on grilled steak just before serving.  You can make ahead and form butter into a

1½ inch log on plastic wrap and wrap tightly.  Chill until firm.  Can be frozen.

Bill’s Wine Picks

Listed from Boldest to Softest in style

2007 Mitolo Cabernet Jester, Australia 90 rating from Robert Parker

2006, 2007 Marques Casa Concha, Chile 90 rating from Robert Parker

2007 Graham Beck Cabernet, South Africa Not rated, intense fruit

2007 J. Lohr – Paso Robles, California  Not rated, consistently good

2005 Ch. Plaisance – Bordeaux, France 90 rating from Robert Parker

Bill and Karen Garlough are the founders and owners of My Chef Catering in Naperville, the 2007 U.S. Chamber’s national Small Business of the Year.  Bill is a Level 1 master Sommelier and pairs food and wine for My Chef’s customers.

Wine of the Month

MARQUES CASA CONCHA

D.O. Puente Alto, Chile

This is an example of a medium bodied, fruity style of Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine has broad appeal, as it is easy to drink yet can stand up to grilled meats.  The Wine Spectator rated this wine 90 points and describes it as concentrated with notes of black currant and fig and provides layers of fruit, cocoa and vanilla.   It has an appealing nose and a long finish.  This is a very pleasant summertime Cab.  Yum!