Cabernet Sauvignon

No matter how we ended up with the red wine we know as Cabernet Sauvignon, most wine lovers and experts agree that it is an extremely bold wine, and one must choose carefully the food with which it is served. More delicate dishes tend to be overpowered by Cabernet Sauvignon, while it tends to work very well with dense dishes such as steak, spicy fowl and fish, and those dishes that employ heavy sauces and creams. Such dishes help to soften the heavy tannins in Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Here are some more facts to consider before serving a Cabernet Sauvignon at your next dinner party:

• Pair Cabernet Sauvignon with stronger foods, such as lamb, strong cheese, chocolate, and heavily-seasoned beef, pork, chicken, or turkey.
• Once you've uncorked a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, use the contents within a few days since much of the flavor will be lost within a week.
• Cabernet Sauvignon is a highly tannic wine, and tannins mesh well with protein and fat. That is why Cabernet Sauvignon pairs very well with steak and those dishes high in fact content, with heavy creams.
• If you choose to cook with Cabernet Sauvignon to make pan sauces, ensure that the sauce has enough protein and fat to make the wine less astringent.

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are separated into three categories, and defined by their age and quality, as mature bodied, medium bodied, and full bodied. Here are some food suggestions to serve with each:

• Mature bodied. Veal, pasta with fowl, beef, sausages, creamy salads, mild cheese, and rice dishes.
• Medium bodied. Beef, bean and pasta dishes, poultry, pork, veal, heavier salads, and mild cheese.
• Full bodied. Lamb, beef, heavily-seasoned side dishes including pasta, beans, and rice, pizza, duck, stew, and strong cheese.

All Cabernet Sauvignons pair well with mushrooms, so be sure to include them in your appetizers, your main dishes, and even your soups and stews if you're planning to serve a Cabernet Sauvignon at your next dinner party.