Happy Wine Wednesday! I finished work early today and had a chance to play with a couple of new toys, my new Stihl backpack leaf blower and a set of radio equipped hearing protection, so I could clear leave while listening to Christmas music on the radio. Two hours later and I can see the end of the 2021 leaf harvest in sight! Now, ahead of the overeating that will occur tomorrow, I've decided to make a modest dinner and enjoy a bottle of wine. Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2018 Titan Octave Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a single-vineyard Cabernet from Rutherford area of the Napa Valley AVA. This is a limited production wine (144 cases) that I found for a terrific price at Wines Till Sold Out, so let's see how this practically newborn wine is shaping up!
The wine is an inky indigo at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Rutherford Cabernet. A swirl of the glass releases aromas of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant with some subtle floral undertones that transition easily to aromas of fig and candied plum. A sip reveals flavors of leather, cedar and rich black currant and raspberry intermingled with Rutherford dust that presents as a combination of spice box, cinnamon and cedar. The tannins are vibrant and well structured, providing for a lingering dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant drinking Napa Cabernet that presents an interesting pairing conundrum given it's evolving flavor profile. This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from grilled steaks and chops, to meaty lasagna or osso buco. Speaking of veal, tonight I've taken a different route and am enjoying this wine with some Madras curry spiced veal chops along with some oven roasted baby carrots, beets and Brussels sprouts. Cheers!
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