Kobe and the Cabernet
Many of us give in to the allure of fine Kobe beef steaks and on impulse pick up enough for the whole gang to enjoy. These are especially good on the grill, which adds enough smokiness to make a perfect, juicy, meaty flavor. However, often it seems that there is not quite enough left in the checkbook to also pick up a fine wine to go with them.
But not to worry, it just happens that the powerful 2007 vintage in California’s Napa and Sonoma counties was so good that there are many red wines available for under $30 that will stand up to the Kobe test quite easily. The best of these are comparable to the famous French Bordeaux region with that sought-after complex bouquet of dark berries, cocoa, vanilla, and spice. Specifically, the Cabernets from Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley have all the excellent aromas and a body that is just on the light side with slightly higher acid content, for a perfect match with the juicy Kobe cuts.
One first class example that just must be experienced with a Kobe steak, is Simi Vineyard’s 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. For 2007, this wine is very close to many of the more expensive wines from the Alexander Valley area. So for about 1/3 the price of a top shelf brand like Silver Oak, the Simi Vineyard selection provides a very affordable compliment to your grilled Kobe beef, for enjoyment any time the grill is doing its magic.
You can pick up a bottle at Fry’s for under $25, and at that price, it may be a good idea to pick up a few more for other steak dinners this season. As a bonus, the full body of these wines guarantees that they will be good in the cellar for 5-7 more years, just in case the 2008’s don’t measure up.
Be sure to taste some of the other Cabernets, including the Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet (at Costco for about $56). The extreme variety of flavors in these may not be matched at these prices for some time.
Written by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com
View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.
About the Author - Tom Peiffer
Tom has been an avid wine consumer and collector for over 20 years. This pastime has taken he and his family on many visits to wine growing regions, including Arizona. During these excursions, with the accompanying tastings and lectures, it became clear that there is no "magic bullet" wine. For each wine contains its own character, strong points, and weaknesses. Sharing these experiences to help anyone purchase locally available wines is his goal.
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