Wine: 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Winery: Oberon
Cheese: Cheddar
Today was an oopsie day. Day 13’s wine was the Pinot Noir, a wine that I thought was a repeat. So I enjoyed it without making notes or reviewing, only to find out that it was new. Oops! Ah well. The good news is that it will be featured again on Day 17, so if you’re a Pinot Noir fan, I will have a more detailed analysis then.
The Cheddar on the other hand was definitely a repeat. It looks like the Cheese Advent Calendar only has 5 different cheeses. Needless to say we tried them all (and enjoyed them very much!) Still looking forward to seeing how they pair with different wines.
Since I (mistakenly) assumed today was a repeat I featured a different wine today, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon by Oberon, a Napa Valley winery. It’s one of the tasting wines of the Master the World series provided for the WSET Level 3 Course. Now here in Michigan, when you hear the name “Oberon” you usually think of Bell’s famous Oberon beer. But in California, the name is synonymous with wine, and apparently has been so for over 40 years. Yet I haven’t heard of them. After today’s wine that’s an oversight I plan to correct.
For this 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon the Oberon website proudly states that the winemakers added a “kiss” of Zinfandel and a “dash” of Petit Verdot (or is it a dash of Zinfandel and a kiss of Petit Verdot? Hmm) to make a deep rich red. It starts off with the color, a dark ruby that is practically opaque in its center. The nose is strong here, with full aromas of cherry and blackberry, tinged with spice. The wine tastes full, dark cherries and blackberries with a hint of vanilla. Some bell pepper snuck in there as well. It was barely noticeable, but present all the same.
What I really enjoyed was the finish. The fruit flavors linger in the palate for a long time, and when it was done I found myself wanting to go back to the well for another sip, just so I can savor the finish again.
I give this one a solid 4.0 (A). I didn’t have a chance to pair it with the cheddar, but I did have it with my beef tips and egg noodles dinner. Needless to say it was an excellent pairing.
Ed's Wineglass Adventures 