Breaking Out Of Your Wine Rut: Cali Cab Sauv Edition
It’s so easy to get caught in a rut when it comes to wine. You find something that you love, and you keep buying it over and over again. Now, don’t get me wrong - it’s great to know a couple bottles that you know you’re gonna love and always have those in your back pocket, but how do you know what to pick when you’re feeling just slightly adventurous?
If California Cab Sauvs are your jam, you’re not alone. I would say in North America, a lot of people's comfort red wine is a Cali Cab Sauv (which, by the way, can be oh-so-delicious). I’m here to share with you some other red wines to get you out of your comfort zone, using a California Cabernet Sauvignon as the benchmark.
The wines I’m suggesting are still red, mainly medium to full bodied with oak treatment. They’ll feel similar enough to a Cab Sauv so that you’re comfortable, but different enough so that you feel like you’re dipping your toes in something new and exciting. And who knows, maybe in due time, you’ll be on the other end of the red wine spectrum and we’ll have to get you out of your Pinot Noir rut!
Carmenère from Rapel Valley (Chile). These red wines should be full bodied, high tannins with notes of blackberries and a herbaceous finish. Some even have spicy jalapeño notes on it - making it great to pair with appetizers such as jalapeño mozzarella sticks.
Shiraz from Barossa Valley (Australia). You’ll find flavours of black fruits (think plums, cassis and blackberry) and dark chocolate on this wine. It’s velvety in texture with black pepper spice on the finish. Super smooth wine that’ll go great with some jazz music in the background.
Tempranillo from Rioja or Cariñena (Spain). An easy going red, with notes of dark cherries and ripe strawberries. From the oak, you’ll find vanilla and spice on the nose. Fun fact here is that Spain ensures the wines have had time to age and develop before releasing to the market, so any tempranillo you pick up should be ready to drink!
Malbec from Central Mendoza (Argentina). This red wine should be medium bodied with dark fruit flavours and a spicy finish. The tannins (that mouth drying feel) will be grainy so it’d be a great wine to pair with a steak dinner, as it’d be able to cut through the fats perfectly.