Monterey County grows over 50 different varietals of grapes and yet it seems that most of them go unnoticed or at least uncelebrated as premium wines. While a number of people tend to think of Monterey wine tasting as one long procession of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and while that is a large portion of what is made and poured, it is far from all that can be savoured.
Now while we do really enjoy the wonderful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that is made and poured in Monterey we also like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Sangiovese and Malbec as well as many other wines.With this being Cabernet month ( #Cabernet day is August 28th) we turned our attention to Monterey Cabernet and dinner time.
When thinking of Cabernet in California most peoples thoughts go immediately to Napa Valley or Paso Robles, but you may be surprised to find some equally good reasonably priced Cabernet and Cabernet blends right in Monterey County.
With Cabernet Day just around the corner we at WineWalkabout decided that we would sample (read drink) some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon poured in the local tasting rooms and let you know about what we chose to drink with our meals and that most importantly we really liked.
The food; Penne pasta with home made mushroom and meat sauce.
The Wine; Hahn Estate 2012 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast. This Monterey based winery sources grapes from a number of areas to make what they feel is a wine worthy of their customers and they happen to get the grapes for this Cabernet from vineyards in San Antonio Valley, Arroyo Seco and Paso Robles. This very enjoyable wine is poured and can be enjoyed in their Monterey tasting room. This **** wine rates a 6-7 on the official scale and is a great anytime Cabernet.
This is a very easy to drink Cabernet that shows great care in blending the various vineyards to produce a wine that drinks way above its price point. This Cabernet has a bright purple color with blackberries and black current with a little cedar and cassis on the nose. The texture on the palate is full and warm with solid tannins that provide a solid frame for black cherry flavors and soft spicy notes of vanilla and cloves and well integrated tannins that give a nice medium length finish.
The nice relatively full mouthfeel and fairly robust flavors were a perfect complement to the very meaty pasta sauce but would also go nicely with hearty beef and game dishes or one of our favorites, a big juicy bacon cheeseburger.
Now while we do really enjoy the wonderful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that is made and poured in Monterey we also like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Sangiovese and Malbec as well as many other wines.With this being Cabernet month ( #Cabernet day is August 28th) we turned our attention to Monterey Cabernet and dinner time.
When thinking of Cabernet in California most peoples thoughts go immediately to Napa Valley or Paso Robles, but you may be surprised to find some equally good reasonably priced Cabernet and Cabernet blends right in Monterey County.With Cabernet Day just around the corner we at WineWalkabout decided that we would sample (read drink) some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon poured in the local tasting rooms and let you know about what we chose to drink with our meals and that most importantly we really liked.
The food; Penne pasta with home made mushroom and meat sauce.
The Wine; Hahn Estate 2012 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast. This Monterey based winery sources grapes from a number of areas to make what they feel is a wine worthy of their customers and they happen to get the grapes for this Cabernet from vineyards in San Antonio Valley, Arroyo Seco and Paso Robles. This very enjoyable wine is poured and can be enjoyed in their Monterey tasting room. This **** wine rates a 6-7 on the official scale and is a great anytime Cabernet.
This is a very easy to drink Cabernet that shows great care in blending the various vineyards to produce a wine that drinks way above its price point. This Cabernet has a bright purple color with blackberries and black current with a little cedar and cassis on the nose. The texture on the palate is full and warm with solid tannins that provide a solid frame for black cherry flavors and soft spicy notes of vanilla and cloves and well integrated tannins that give a nice medium length finish.
The nice relatively full mouthfeel and fairly robust flavors were a perfect complement to the very meaty pasta sauce but would also go nicely with hearty beef and game dishes or one of our favorites, a big juicy bacon cheeseburger.
Head on over to the Hahn Estate tasting room enjoy the spectacular views from the deck, sample the wines and make sure not to miss this one.
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