Father's Day: Man Up with a Steak

As I write this piece, I'm in Calgary, where Cabernet Sauvignon is surely the largest selling red wine in Alberta.

It is no secret Calgarians love their homegrown, well-aged beef and the wine pairing of choice citywide is Cabernet Sauvignon. While some would argue the Cabernet is too powerful for a simply seasoned and grilled piece of meat, others see it differently. A bit of fattiness goes a long way to smoothing out the awkward edges that defines most youthful Cabernet Sauvignon.

The same effect can be achieved with richly flavoured carbohydrates that again break down the tannin barriers. Imagine mash potatoes swimming in butter or a super cheesy polenta or even a mushroom risotto. All three have a similar goal, which is to coat your palate preparing it to soften the youthful tannins in most Cabernets which makes the wine more drinkable at release.

Meanwhile at the winery, the goal is to express the attractive blackberry, cassis, black cherry and jam fruit flavours often with cedar, mint, black pepper and spice. There is a light overlay of subdued herbal qualities like ripe olives and mint but not the undesirable green bell pepper, asparagus, green bean components that used to rule the day. Oak barrels add extra spice, clove, vanillin and toasted flavours.

When fully aged, Cabernet develops sublime bottle bouquets of cedar, tobacco, violets, spices, soya, blackberry, mint and licorice. Despite its backward, closed tannic phase when young, Cabernet Sauvignon almost always gains a measure of complexity and elegance most other wines simply cannot match with age. To wit, there are examples still drinking well from the last century. Since the mid-1800s, Cabernet has spread its roots, first across Europe and then on to most New World vineyards. Consequently, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely transplanted red grape with a presence in almost every major growing region of the world.

The lighter and more modern styles such as those from Chile and Australia place more of an emphasis on fruit flavours and softer tannins. This makes them more drinkable at a young age than traditional Bordeaux or some of the more serious examples from California's Napa Valley and Sonoma County and Australia's Coonawarra region. The best strive to combine finesse and power with ripe tannins and fruit, making them attractive in their youth but with excellent potential to age.

We begin with a very ripe Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon 120 2009 replete with bay leaf, spice and plenty of cassis notes that really over deliver for its price. The palate is super smooth and pleasantly ripe. It is very easy to sip for a cabernet. A real success for the price and would be perfect with grilled burgers, flank steak or roast beef. Bravo effort here.

Across the Andes the Catena Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is a lot like last year with its peppery, blackberry and smoky cassis aromas and floral undertones. The attack is supple, an Argentine quality other cabernet producers openly covet, with cassis, black cherry, coffee, savoury, vanilla, black olive, resin and tobacco flavours. Love the fruit and finesse that makes it drinkable now, but it will improve in bottle over the next two years.

Still in South America, the Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 offers up fresh, red berry fruit with savoury, black olive bits with cedar and tobacco throughout. The grapes are grown on the La Finca de Apalta estate in the Apalta Valley, Colchagua. The cabernet is picked at just under seven tons per hectare and mixed with some 10 per cent of Merlot to temper the tannins and acidity, and aged for a year in French oak. This will be best over the next three to five years, or serve now with grilled meat.

Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, from Napa Valley, is building a local audience thanks to its Vancouver-based owner Ray Signorello and we like the new price, four dollars less than the last vintage. Expect a ripe, supple, juicy palate with black berry, cassis, pepper and smoky, cedar and chocolate flavours. There is plenty of fruit for current drinking.

The upscale version of the Edge cab is the Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, also by Ray Signorello, and also from Napa Valley fruit. The style is rich and dry with light tannins and a mix of prune, blackberry jam, cassis, earthy, meaty notes with spicy, cedar coffee and dark chocolate flavours. It finishes a bit alcoholic with fine fruit intensity. A splash of Syrah adds a bit of complexity here.

Always fragrant and complex, the nose of the Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District 2006 mixes juicy, blackberry jam and smoke with toasted vanilla and olives. The mostly To-Kalon Vineyard fruit, from the heart of Napa Valley, is always ripe and concentrated but with finegrained, supple tannins. We love the plummy, black currant fruit and sophisticated mouth feel and length. Another stunning wine that in the scheme of things vindicates the long-term style direction founder Robert Mondavi, his son Tim Mondavi and long-time winemaker Genevieve Janssens have had for this property. In time, others will catch up.

These are all great picks for dad and you might consider tossing in a steak to round out the day.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon 120 2009, Valle del Rapel, Chile

Price: $12

UPC: 0089419007114

Score: 87/100

Remarks: A real bargain, and perfect with flank steak or burgers.

Catena Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Mendoza, Argentina

Price: $23

UPC: 007794450002570

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Solid fruit and finesse and ready to drink.

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Valle del Colchagua, Chile

Price: $25

UPC: 715126000116

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Fresh red berry fruit with savoury, black olive bits with cedar and tobacco.

Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Napa Valley, California

Price: $30

UPC: 752183274029

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Supple, juicy palate with black berry, cassis fruit. Ready to drink.

Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley, California

Price: $40

UPC: 08877665520066

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Pruny, blackberry jam, cassis, earthy, meaty, peppery and spicy fruit.

Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District 2006, Napa Valley, California

Price: $60

UPC: 0086003061927

Score: 93/100

Remarks: Fine-grained, supple tannins and plummy black currant fruit.