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HomeWine Club SelectionsMarch Domestic Wine: 2010 Castoro Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CALIFORNIA

March Domestic Wine: 2010 Castoro Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CALIFORNIA

The husband and wife team of Niels and Bimmer Udsen established Castoro Cellars with the goal of producing world-class wines from Paso Robles-appellation grapes. Each vintage presents a new challenge and Niels is more than willing to constantly and creatively experiment. This on-going research is only one of the things that ensures they meet their goal.

Niels’ long-time nickname “Beaver,” evolved further when he was working in Italy and his friends soon took to calling him “Il Castoro,” which is beaver in Italian. The name and the motto stuck. Castoro Cellars’ “dam fine wines” sport a picture of a beaver on each label.

History of Cabernet Sauvignon and its Relation to Castoro: Cabernet is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada’s Okanagan Valley to Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines, where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California’s Napa Valley, Australia’s Coonawarra region and Chile’s Maipo Valley. For most of the 20th century, it was the world’s most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s.

Despite its prominence in the industry, the grape is a relatively new variety, the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is often attributed to its ease of cultivation—the grapes have thick skins and the vines are hardy and resistant to rot and frost—and to its consistent presentation of structure and flavors which express the typical character (“typicity“) of the variety. Familiarity and ease of pronunciation have helped to sell Cabernet Sauvignon wines to consumers, even when from unfamiliar wine regions. Its widespread popularity has also contributed to criticism of the grape as a “colonizer” that takes over wine regions at the expense of native grape varieties.

Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 14.7% by volume

Tasting Notes: This wine is packed with rich berries, ripe fruit aromas and flavors. Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be ready to drink early on with formidable aging capacity.

Food Pairings: Drink this with a hearty entrée or with a selection of rich cheeses.

Jim Lutfy’s thoughts: “Full throttle, big, and rich with a long lasting finish. A fantastic Cab loaded with cherries and raspberries.”-JL