WINE CHAT: Hail a Cab for this Cheddar

The other night I opened a 2002 Three Saints Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) from the Santa Ynez Valley, one of two American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara region, with its cool coastal climate, is more known for pinot and chardonnay, but they did well with this cab.

I was serving this wine primarily to go with the roast chicken I was making. I wanted to test the somewhat surprising recommendation from the Wall Street Journal to serve American cabs for Thanksgiving. I usually opt for pinot on turkey day, but was looking to try out some other possibilities to bring along for Thanksgiving and to recommend in my annual Wine Chat article in advance of the holiday.

The cab actually did work fairly well with the roast chicken, especially after I decanted it for an hour or so to soften it a bit.  After this poultry and cabernet pairing experiment, my feeling is that a fruity cab without a lot of tannins and oak can work. Not a classic pair to be sure but if you're looking for a change of pace for Thanksgiving, this combination is something to try.

But the truly wonderful match I made the same night was between this cab when I first opened it and the Borough Market Cheddar I was nibbling on. I've previously extolled the virtues of this artisanal cheddar from England, which has a rich, slightly grassy taste that transports you to a meadow with a few cows grazing nearby.  While I love this cheddar, I've previously haphazardly served it with wines that happened to be about--a Vinho Verde and a so-so Cote du Rhone.  Both pairings were found wanting. My tasting notes suggested trying  the cheddar with a more full-bodied red, and the Three Saints Cab definitely qualifies.

The Three Saints Cab has a potent, dark bouquet upon opening, with hints of licorice. The first taste featured a big taste of currant, blackberrry and a bit of leather. It was definitely a bit tight initially but opened up nicely with some decanting, starting to show more full fruit flavors while retaining a good structure.

This robust cab was the first pairing that stood up to the deep earthly flavors of the Borough Market Cheddar. Tasting the two together is absolutely delightful, a great example of what can happen when you find a great food & wine match. A taste of the flavorful cheddar begs for another sip of the hearty red wine...mmm, a bit more cheese. I guess you get the idea--try this combo for a special treat!

David Crowley, Gather Food Correspondent

David enjoys sharing good food and wine with family and friends.  David writes about his wine explorations and discoveries in his column, "Wine Chat", a twice-monthly feature of Gather Essentials:  Food.   Stay tuned as more coming features will focus on food & wine pairing.  By day, David is the President and Founder of Social Capital Inc.