The Golden Vine - Guidance

Tempranillo

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Tempranillo. Tempranillo is the dominant red grape in Spain’s Rioja region. Tempranillo originates from the Spanish word "temprano," or early. Tempranillo grapes ripen earlier in the season.

Taste Profile: Medium Acidity, Medium Tannin, Red Fruit. Flavors include cherry, tomato, plum, cedar, vanilla, and dill

Pairs well with tomato-based dishes: Bruschetta, Spaghetti and Lasagna. Good choice for Hispanic dishes with pico de gallo salsa, roasted tomato sauce, and roasted tomatillo sauce. Best with polenta, roasted vegetables and Jamon Iberico.

Nebbiolo

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Nebbiolo. This varietal is chiefly associated with the Piedmont region of Italy.

Thick skinned grapes, oak aging and high alcohol produce wines that coat your mouth. Wines that coat your mouth are called “full bodied.”

Taste Profile: High Acidity and High Tannin. Flavors of cherries, rose, leather, licorice, truffle and anise

Pairs well with Italian food and Asian foods containing 5 Spice. Perfect for vinaigrette dressings with olive oil, pasta with truffles, and meats prepared with salt rubs. Best with goat cheese or semi hard cheese made from cow milk.

Malbec

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Malbec. The color of wine can tell you about the flavor. Malbec wine appears purple with a bright magenta rim.

Argentina produces 75% of the Malbec sold worldwide.

Taste Profile: Medium Acidity, Medium Tannin, Smoky Fruit. Flavors include plum, blackberry, chocolate, molasses, leather, and tobacco

Pairs well with barbecued meats and sausage. Good choice for green leafy vegetables like kale, chard and arugula. Complements lentils, mushrooms, cumin and smoked paprika. Best with blue cheese or goat semi hard cheese made from cow milk.

Wine should be more acidic than the dish it is paired with.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon beat out classified Bordeaux estates at the 1976 Judgment of Paris wine tasting event.

Taste Profile: Medium acidity, medium tannin, dark fruit and pepper. Flavors include black cherry,licorice, black pepper, bell pepper and vanilla.

Pairs well with braised short ribs or mushroom stroganoff. Good choice for gruyere burgers, mushroom pizza with red sauce or marinated rib-eye steak.

Warm weather Syrah can be found in Paso Robles, Sierra Foothills and Napa Valley.

Syrah

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Warm Weather Syrah. Sunshine in warm weather climates produces thick skinned grapes and full bodied wines. Syrah develops spicy flavors in warm climates.

Taste Profile Medium acidity, medium tannin, spicy fruit. Flavors include blackberries, boysenberry, vanilla, licorice, black pepper, all spice & tobacco.

Pairs well with all types of roasted, grilled or smoked dishes; duck, beef, sausage and chicken. Syrah based wines are prefect for slow cooked meals, casseroles, and rich braised dishes. Perfect beef hamburgers with cheddar or portabella mushroom burgers with aged gouda

Petit Verdot

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Petit Verdot. Petit Verdot translates to “little green one.” This grape is a late ripening and was historically picked unripe during harvest.

Single varietal Petite Verdot is produced in warm California climates.

Taste Profile: Medium high acidity, high tannins, herbs and fruit. Flavors include black cherries, plum, blueberry, herbs and olives.

Pairs well with rich meat dishes and herbs: lamb kabobs, game sausage, Mexican adobo, Chinese barbecue pork. Good choice for black lentils, pomegranate, roasted nuts, eggplant and olives.

Mourvedre

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Mourvedre. Mourvedre is a Rhone varietal normally found in GSM blends.This varietal can have a gamey taste. Pair with high fat foods and sweet flavors.

Three Rhone varietals make GSM blends Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.

Taste Profile: Medium Acidity, High Tannin and Gamey. Flavors include Blackberry, blueberry, plum, black pepper, smoke and meat.

Pairs well with rich meats high in fat content: rack of lamb, BBQ short ribs, pork shoulder. Complements Asian cuisines with soy sauce, black pepper sauce, shitake mushrooms, and slow braised meats.

Petite Sirah

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Petite Sirah. Petite Sirah is the American name for the Durif grape

This varietal forms tightly packed clusters susceptible to rotting in rainy environments.Petite refers to the size of the berries on the cluster.

Taste Profile: Medium Acidity, high tannin, berries, espresso and mocha. Flavors include blueberry, chocolate, plums and black pepper and black tea.

Pairs well with bold exotic spices and herbs. Good choice for roasted pork, barbecue beef,chicken in Mole Sauce. Best with camembert

Cool weather Syrah can be found in Sonoma, Santa Ynez and Edna Valley.

Cool Weather Syrah

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for Cool Weather Syrah. Cool ocean breezes increase the time grapes can spend on the vine. Syrah develops savory flavors in cool climates.

Taste Profile: Medium Acidity, Medium Tannin, Savory Fruit. Flavors include blackberries, plum, boysenberry, olive, black pepper, tobacco.

Pairs with grilled Lamb and Mediterranean Cuisine. Best with spiced or herbed dishes that include allspice, clove, and mint. Perfect for grilled meats and vegetables.

Chenin Blanc (Sweet/Sec)

Chenin Blanc (Sweet)

Tasting profile and pairing suggestions for sweet Chenin Blanc. Winemaking style can change the flavor of Chenin Blanc.

Sweet flavors are created when natural sugars are left during fermentation.

Tasting Profile: High acidity, slightly sweet fruit

Pairs with foods that have a sweet and sour element. Complements trout, halibut and smoked salmon. Best with Southeast Asian cuisine or pistachios and goat cheese.