I didn’t get an April recipe to you. I apologize! The days fly by…
The years fly by, too. Mother’s Day marked the 12th anniversary of Westcave Cellars opening the tasting room! So, I thought you might take a step back in time with me to revisit our history.
It Started with Cabernet
The Westcave story starts with Cabernet Sauvignon. It was the first variety Allan and I planted at our former location on Hamilton Pool Road. In fact, the vines were planted in April 1999 – 24 years ago.
Originally, we just wanted to be farmers and sell grapes to other wineries. And we did:
- McReynolds (Does anyone remember them?)
- Texas Hills Vineyard
- Perissos (This was when Seth Martin was fermenting at his house in Dripping Springs!)
- Rock Room (Now out in California.)
- Woodrose (Out of business.)
- Barnhardt
The Dream
Allan had been making small batches of wine. He wasn’t very successful in the initial attempts. (HINT: There was no temperature control in the laundry room.) But he persisted, and we dreamed about opening a tasting room in retirement. In the meantime, we expanded the vineyard, planting other grape varieties. Allan continued to make wine, and the quality improved dramatically.
So, here’s the REAL truth about opening a tasting room. Allan and I traveled to Seattle in 2010 and spent a day in Woodinville. We visited FIVE tasting rooms. (There’s a reason Texas Hill Country Wineries, our wine trail association, won’t let Passport holders visit more than four wineries a day.) We convinced ourselves that our wines were just as good as the ones we sampled.
We kept the 2010 harvest for ourselves and opened the tasting room Mother’s Day weekend in 2011.
Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes
According to DNA testing at UC Davis, Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. (https://www.nature.com/articles/ng0597-84) It’s one of the most popular varieties in the world. It thrives in many different soils and climates.
Cab grapes are small, which means a higher ratio of skins and seeds to juice. They produce wine that is full-bodied with dark fruit flavors, like black cherry and blackberry. It often has hints of black pepper, cedar, and licorice. It has medium plus tannins and acidity.
The 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2018 Westcave Cab is light for the varietal. Winemakers can add dye, but Allan won’t. What the vines give us, we give to you. While researching, I came across another UC Davis article that indicates Cab vines grown in deep soil are often lighter in color. (https://iv.ucdavis.edu/files/121462.pdf) Believe it or not, the soil on that property was four feet deep. Limestone was underneath, which gives our Cab more minerality. Moreover, we had rain issues that fall, so harvested the grapes early. That also contributes to the light color.
The 2018 vintage offers notes of red cherries, cinnamon, and tobacco on the nose. The palate showcases notes of ripe red cherries, blackberries, and a hint of cedar. Structurally, the 2018 Estate Cab is medium-bodied with refined tannins, moderate acidity, and a long finish.
The Recipe – Blackberry Cabernet Reduction
Since we opened, the December Cellar Dweller pick-up party menu never changed. Members enjoyed smoked pork loin with this Cab reduction, hot spinach artichoke dip, and triple chocolate fudge brownies. YUM!
The Blackberry Cabernet Reduction has been the most requested recipe. While scrumptious on pork, it’s a great glaze for grilled beef, lamb, and venison! One of Allan’s favorite meals is a grilled sirloin strip steak topped with melted blue cheese crumbles and a drizzle of this reduction.
Blackberry Cabernet Reduction
Yields: 1 Cup
1 c water
2 cubes or 2 teaspoons granular beef bouillon
1 c Westcave Cellars Estate Cabernet
½ c blackberry jam
cracked black pepper
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- Put the water and bouillon in a small saucepan. Place on the stovetop with medium-high heat. Stir the bouillon until it dissolves.
- Add the wine, jam, and pepper. Whisk until integrated. When the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat so it continues a slow boil. Stir occasionally until the sauce reduces by half and thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Add more pepper to taste.
NOTES
- The reduction thickens as it cools.
- Be sure to use blackberry jam, NOT fruit spread.
- I like a more peppery reduction so it stands up to the smoked meat. Be sure to taste it before removing from heat.
- The sauce easily boils over because of the jam, so watch the stovetop temperature. Take it from me, it’s NOT fun to clean up the sticky mess.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Yep, that’s a lot of Westcave Cab to use when you could drink it. But it really makes the glaze flavorful!!! But you have my permission to replace it with another bold Cab.
- For Allan’s favorite steak, I marinate the strip steak in wine, minced garlic, and cracked black pepper. We add the blue cheese crumbles just as it finishes cooking to allow them to soften.
