Cabernet Sauvignon

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated September 21, 2009)

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.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Removing Beeswax from Fabric

Removing beeswax from fabric may actually be easier than removing paraffin wax, since it is more pliable and soft. The ...

Discover More

Beautiful Garden Ornaments

When creatively placing garden ornaments, remember to keep it simple. Overburdening your garden with beautiful garden ...

Discover More

Preventing Dog Spots on Your Lawn

Preventing dog spots on your lawn involves diluting the urine thoroughly with water, repairing or replacing dead lawn, ...

Discover More
More Cooking Tips

Wine Cellars

Many casual wine drinkers keep their bottles on a rack or a shelf in the cabinet. For those with more wine bottles to ...

Discover More

Wine and Corked Beverages

Why should corked drinks be stored on their side? And what do you do if the cork falls inside the bottle?

Discover More

What is Chardonnay Wine?

Looking for the perfect white wine to go with that special dinner? Use chardonnay. It's not called "the world's favorite ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight minus 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)