Only at the Culinary Institute of America would you get the most educational Thirsty Thursday.

Bacchus Wine Society is a club that was upstarted again due to rocky previews handovers.  Not verbatim, but somewhat there.  Today, they the club did a Cabernet Sauvignon tasting today.  Since the varietal exists/grown/produced in many parts of the world (I.E Chile, Australia or Stag’s Leap in Napa Valley), each wine takes on different properties.

Here are the wines we tasted (Front to Back, Left to Right)

1. Cape Mentelle, Magaret River, Australia. 2003. 

2. Chateau Prieur de Meyney, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux

3. Sage Lands, Columbia Valley, Washington. 2007.

4. Stags Leap, Napa Valley, California.  2008

5. Marques de Casa Concha, Maipo Valley, Chile. 2009

Based on what was said tonight, the common factor between a Cabernet Sauvignon is that is has a medium body.  It only makes sense as it is in the middle of the Tower of Power, as taught here in the Wines Curriculum at the school.  Other than that, the terroir affects the wines.  For example, Chile has more of a mineral quality to its wine versus Stags Leap that has fruity qualities.  The general idea behind this is that the soil each grapevine was planted in has different qualities. (I think I circumvented there, didn’t I?)

Other than that, my two favorite wines of the night are coincidentally the Stags Leap and Marques De Casa Concha wines for the reason that Stag’s Leap is both a food friendly and stand-alone wine.  As for the Chilean Wine, I liked the earthiness of it.  It’s something that I think would stand on a braise if it was well reduced and complimented with herbs.   

Again, educational Thirsty Thursdays.  This needs to happen more.