Paso Robles News|Thursday, March 28, 2024
You are here: Home » Best of Paso Robles » Best local cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style wines for the holidays
  • Follow Us!

Best local cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style wines for the holidays 

best paso robles cabernet sauvignon wines
Cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends are the big, bold, tannic wines that pair perfectly with holiday meals centered around meats like prime rib, roast beef, pork tenderloin, lamb and venison. Lucky for us, Paso Robles is producing some outstanding cabernets and cab blends. Here is a selection of Paso Robles wines we recommend for your upcoming holiday meals. We received so many tasty red wines that we created separate lists for recommendations. See more lists below.

Top Paso Robles cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends

Broken Earth 2013 Merlot – $48best cab in paso robles
If the movie Sideways ever questioned your taste in merlot, this is one wine that will restore your faith in the Bordeaux varietal. It shows ripe red fruit on the nose and is supported by a structure of French oak. The palate is rich with fruit and firm tannins. Enjoy it with most any holiday meal.

Broken Earth 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon – $22
This is classic Paso Robles cab with loads of dark berry fruit and abundant oak. There are hints of tobacco and cedar on the nose with depths of fruit flavors on the palate. It’s a robust wine that will pair with equally weighty meals.

Eberle Winery 2010 Reserve Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – $75
This wine shows a deep purple hue and rich flavors. During fermentation the wine was pumped over its skins twice daily for color and flavor extraction. It was then aged in the Eberle caves for two years in French oak barrels. It offers aromas of cola and licorice with flavors of black plum and currents.

HammerSky 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – $85
A bit pricey, but worth it for a fancy holiday meal. It has bold black cherry, black currant, tobacco leaf and vanilla flavors. Firm tannins and a touch of sweetness round out the finish.

Hunt Cellars 2006 Maestro – $45
This red wine had a plethora of gentle fragrances rising from the glass such as cherry, plum, honeysuckle, and vanilla. Upon tasting, cherry and other berry flavors mix nicely with notes of oak. An overall bold berry flavored wine that will leave an impression on the palette. It’s a blend of cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, sauvignon blanc, merlot, syrah, petite sirah, cabernet franc, viognier and zinfandel. It’s one of the oldest vintages we’ve recommended here. We think you’ll agree it has been worth waiting for.

Midnight Cellars 2010 Zenith Estate Cuvee – $70
This Bordeaux-style blend from the Willow Creek District AVA is deep, dark and delicious. It is equal parts merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and petite verdot. It offers elegance and flavors of black cherry, dark plum and smoky oak. It earned 92 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Midnight Cellars 2011 Mare Nectaris – $52paso robles red blends
This is a merlot-based Bordeaux-style blend. It’s a vibrant wine with aromas of vanilla and cedar. The bold red wine offers smoky flavors with cherry, pepper and oak. It earned 90 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Peachy Canyon 2013 Para Siempre – $55
This superb blend is 27-percent merlot, 26-percent petit verdot, 21-percent cab, 17-percent malbec and 9-percent cabernet franc. It has an elegant and velvety mouthfeel with black currant flavors and a touch of minerality. It was one of my favorites from these recent tastings.

Pomar Junction 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – $38
This estate cab leads with a nose of red rose and boysenberries. The palate offers black plum, chocolate and vanilla flavors. It has a long spicy finish with tannin and caramel. It will pair well with red meats, especially steak.

Robert Hall 2014 Meritage – $40
This bold red is a blend of 46-percent cabernet, 42-percent merlot and 12-percent malbec. It is a deep, ruby red wine with aromas of black currant and cedar with classic Bordeaux flavors finished with smooth tannins. It will pair especially well with red meats.

Rio Seco 2011 Cabernet Franc – $28
This cab franc has a soft earthy profile with hints of black cherry and light tobacco aromas. It will pair well with turkey and prime rib holiday meals.

River Star Vineyards 2013 Affinity – $32
This Bordeaux-style wine is a blend of 40-percent cabernet sauvignon, 40-percent merlot, and 20-percent zinfandel. This is big and velvety with flavors of black cherry and black currants and a peppery finish.

San Antonio Winery Opaque Darkness 2014 Red Blend  – $29.95
paso robles wine recommendations
This is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel, grenache, petit verdot, and petite sarah. The wine provides a blend that allows deep ripened flavors to shine through. Raspberries and blackberries, along with hints of vanilla and spice, make for an enjoyable dark wine experience.

San Simeon 2013 Stormwatch – $65
This is a Bordeaux-style blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, petit verdot, and cabernet franc. It’s a full-bodied wine with dark berry flavors that lead into hints of mocha, spiced plums, and oak. This wine will pair nicely with beef dishes, aged cheddar, and pasta dishes such as lasagna.

SummerWood 2012 Sentio – $60
The nose of this wine offers blackberry and toasty oak aromas with a hint of vanilla. It has a rich mouthfeel filled with plums with hints of chocolate and coffee beans. The wine has a pleasant acidity and lingering finish.

Treana Red 2014 – $45
Treana Red has been a Paso Robles favorite since 1996. Winemaker Austin Hope once again delivers a top-notch wine. The 2014 blend earned 93 points from Tasting Panel Magazine. It’s a blend of 75-percent cabernet and 25-percent syrah grapes in perfect form. It will pair well with a hearty holiday meal.

 

Publisher‘s note: For the third year in a row we thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and dinners. Once again, I had no idea how much participation we would receive from our local wineries. Over the last few weeks we received more than 100 entries. I was originally planning a list of 10 or so of the best wines, but after tasting and tasting and tasting, there were just too many solid, well-made wines to recommend. So we decided to break up the list of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines are in alphabetical order.

Share To Social Media

Comments

About the author: Publisher Scott Brennan

Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog.