Best local cabernet sauvignon wines for the holidays

Posted: 10:10 am, November 26, 2015 by Publisher Scott Brennan

Click here to check out our current 2016 recommendations

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 a separate list for recommended zinfandel wines for the holidays .

Top cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends for the holidays

August Ridge 2010 Ingenious Cabernet Sauvignon – $43
This Cabernet Sauvignon presents berry flavors along with dried flower aromas. A long finish can be expected that will cleanse the palate. This wine compliments very well with grilled fare and spicy sauces.

Brecon Estate 2013 Reserve Cabernet Savignon – $62
This wine is created from grapes grown by the oldest remaining cabernet vineyards in both Adelaida and the York mountain appellations. Each sip delivers flavor variations along with deep undertones that make this wine an overall sophisticated tasting experience.

Broken Earth Winery 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon – $22
A delightful, soft, ready to drink cab. It’s blackberry character is superb and its reasonable price point is appealing.

Calcareous 2012 Lloyd – $55
Lloyd is a big, bold and jammy blend of Merlot, cab franc, cab, malbec and petit verdot. It’s bold berry flavors are softened with a touch of sweetness.

Derby Wine Estates 2011 Implico – $32
Derby delivers a bold cab-based Bordeaux blend with this wine named for the Latin “intimately connected.” It has flavors of black currants and hints of tobacco.

Eberle 2013 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – $40
This is Gary Eberle’s flagship wine The palate is full of rich flavors of cassis, black cherry and cola with slight herbaceous notes. It is lush with soft tannins. It will pair well with roasted turkey or prime rib.

Hunt Cellars Winery 2010 Malbec “Purple Haze” Estate – $38
This wine brings a flavor profile with a twist on the end. Plums, cherries, dried currant and hints of cola lend to an overall elegant wine, which delivers a lush viscosity.

J Lohr 2012 Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon – $35
This classic Paso Robles cab delivers bold black plum flavors with hints of hazelnuts and chocolate from French Oak barreling. It’s a rich, yet approachable wine.

Midnight Cellars 2009 Zenith Estate Cuvee – $70
This Bordeaux-style blend is deep, dark and delicious. It offers elegance and flavors of black cherry, dark plum and smoky oak. It earned 92 points from Wine Enthusiast.

San Antonio Winery Opaque Darkness 2013 Red Blend – $29.95
This 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.

Pomar Junction 2012 Train Wreck – $48
This premier blend of cab, zin, merlot, petite sirah and syrah is a real standout in this category. It offers dark red fruit with oaky tannins and and a touch of earthiness.

Powell Mountain – Pinnacle 2010 Meritage – $36
This light, tangy, and fruitful wine is well balanced with spices and hints of vanilla. Pair with spicy dishes, heavily spiced meats.

Rotta 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – $35
Surprisingly soft and supple for a 2013. This cab is ready to drink with classic dark cherry flavors and a delicious soft finish with tannins. This will pair well with any meaty holiday meal.

SummerWood 2010 Private Reserve – $110
This cab/syrah blend packs a delightful punch. Its bold yet elegant with a long smooth finish. It offers flavors of black currant with notes of espresso. A great wine for any special occasion.

Vina Robles 2012 Petit Verdot – $29
This a rich Bordeaux-style wine not often found as a single varietal. It’s a dark garnet color with cherry and dark chocolate aromas and a bit of grassiness common to the varietal. It’s a big full-bodied wine.

Additional wine recommendations

Publisher’s note: For the second 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.

Check out our Paso Robles area Wine Tasting Map.