Best local Paso Robles cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style wines for the holidays
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
Allegretto 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon – $75
This bold cab is an Ayres Family Reserve wine from the Willow Creek AVA of Paso Robles. It has deep purple coloring and alluring nose of red berries. It delivers black cherry flavors with a hint of oak and tobacco with solid tannins. It will pair well with a holiday meal.
Allegretto 2015 Tannat – $55
This is a medium-bodied red with the classic notes of tannat. It offers cinnamon and anise, followed by hints of red cherries. It’s rich, yet supple, with a lingering finish.
Bianchi 2015 Petite Syrah – $30
This bold red is a gold medal winner and earned 92 points from Wine Enthusiast. It has dark brick hues and boasts flavors of floral plum and vanilla with a hint of earthiness. It’s very food friendly.
Broken Earth 2016 Limited Release Merlot – $22
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 coffee, dark chocolate and spices on the nose leading to juicy flavors and bold black cherry and plum flavors. The palate is rich with fruit and firm tannins.
Broken Earth 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon – $22
This is a classic Paso Robles cab with loads of boysenberry fruit. There are hints of licorice and cassis on the nose with depths of fruit flavors on the palate. It’s a delightful wine that will pair well with holiday meals.
Cass 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon – $55
Ample dark fruit and savory spice emanate from this cab. A montage of flavors comparable to blackcurrant, plum, and cherries envelope the palate. A soft yet structured core presents bright boysenberry, which overlay the subtleties of cracked peppercorn and crushed violets. It earned 93 points from the American Wine Society.
Eberle Winery 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – $45
Gary Eberle’s flagship wine captures his vision of Paso Robles as a premium cabernet region. This wine has a palate full of rich dark fruit flavors like black cherry with hints of cola and cedar. It has a long finish with velvety tannins. It’s a holiday meal classic.
Hearst Ranch Winery 2015 Babicora Malbec – $32
The candied cranberry aromatics and sweet vanilla will remain on the pallet. The luscious fruit flavors and rich spice balance it bright acidity and soft tannins; 85% Malbec & 15% Petit Verdot. This Malbec is versatile and will pair well for those who do not like a lot of tannins. This is a wine you can really dive into, Luscious fruit Flavors and rich spice would go great with prime rib or pork tenderloin. Hearst Ranch delivers on all there wines.
LaZarre 2016 Merlot – $40
This Paso Robles Merlot is a single vineyard select from the Santa Margarita Ranch located near the Cuesta Grade. It offers flavors of blackberries, cherries and a hint of chocolate and cedar wood. This wine will pair well with lamb, pork, and pastas.
Opolo 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon – $33
Blackberry and oak on the nose. Full bodied and jammy, with velvety tannins. Flavors of rich blackberry and notes of oak. It’s a delicious cab, that is both rich and well-balanced, without being overpowering.
Parrish 2014 Reserve Silken – $50
A dense plummy nose of milk chocolate and cherry compote is quite unctuous for this dark brooding blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Petite Sirah. It’s very soft and welcoming upon entry to the palate, showing slightly tart yet plush plum and fig flavors. The tannins are still sticky at this young age.
Penman Springs Meritage 2014 Artisan Cuvee – $30
Red Berries, oak and spice are the initial aroma hints taken in after opening this bottle of Meritage. Savory notes of blueberries and cassis lead the way to a long and complex finish of dark plum and mocha. This wine can pair well with lamb or duck dishes.
Pomar Junction 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon – $40
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.
Rotta 2016 Time Capsule – $75
Aged for 18 months in French Oak, this rich wine is a Bordeaux-blend of cabernet sauvignon, petite verdot and a splash of malbec. It has loads of berry fruit, black currant, and hints of mocha with an elegant oaky finish.
San Simeon 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon – $20
This wine offers bright aromas of dark raspberry and black cherry. Ripe flavors of spicy plum and currant are complemented by nuances of cocoa and cedary oak from barrel-aging. Structured, tannins provide texture and depth with a lengthy finish. A small percentage of petit verdot was added for additional complexity.
Vina Robles 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – $26
This wine was produced from a mix of fruit picked on two Vina Robles estate vineyards, located in Paso Robles. Delivering an overall bold blueberry flavor with hints of licorice, juniper berry, and black olives. The overall finish is a nice rich deep flavor. Beef dishes make a nice pairing with this wine.
Vina Robles 2014 Tannat – $34
The grapes for this wine were hand-picked from the Huerhuero Vineyard. The dark garnet-colored wine has a nose of cherry pie, ripe plums and dates. It’s full-bodied with rich, fleshy tannins and a firm acidity on the finish.
Paso Robles wine recommendations
• Best local sparkling wines for the holidays
• Best local rosé wines for the holidays
• Best local white wines for the holidays
• Best local Spanish-style wines for the holidays
• Best local pinot noir wines for the holidays
• Best local zinfandel and Italian-style wines for the holidays
• Best local cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux-style wines for the holidays
• Best local Rhone-style red wines for the holidays
• Best local dessert wines for the holidays
Publisher’s note: For the fifth year in a row we thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and dinners. Once again, we received an amazing amount of participation from our local wineries. Over the last few weeks, we received more than 100 entries. After tasting and tasting and tasting, there were many solid, well-made wines to recommend. We have created several lists of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines above are in alphabetical order.
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