VinoDuo is Lisa & Gary. Engaged in Sonoma. Honeymooned in Napa. Vacationed in
Temecula (CA), Woodinville (WA), and other off the beaten path wine regions. We’ve married our love of wine with our passion for travel, visiting lesser-known wine regions throughout the United
States. We’ve got strong opinions about the pros and cons of each wine region and this is our forum for airing and sharing them.
Caparone 2002 Cab an Earthy Delight
When we visited Paso Robles a few years ago we drove right by Caparone Winery on San Marcos Road. Why didn't we stop? Maybe 100 wineries in 4 days would have been just a bit too much. But somehow a bottle of Caparone's 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Maria Valley wound up in our wine cellar. Gary thinks it was a gift dating back to his 50th birthday. Whatever its provenance, the bottle popped out of the cellar and into our kitchen last week to complement a steak tips dinner from Villa House of Pizza. We started low-brow then upgraded to a home-cooked tenderloin dinner the next night. It gave us a great opportunity to compare the Caparone with two different steak pairings.
Caparone is a boutique, family-run business with father Dave and son Marc at the helm. They produce full-bodied red wines, with a focus on the classic Italian varietals Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Aglianico. The Cab comes from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, located in Sisquoc, in the Santa Maria Valley.
Night One — Caparone Cabernet and Steak Tips
We had returned from a four-day business trip to California that morning and were still a bit jet lagged. Cooking was out. So we called up our local pizzeria and got the always-reliable steak tips. Then we cracked open the Caparone. It's a beauty to look at, deep ruby red with a circle of caramel at the edges. Wonderful aroma, with hints of cassis, leather, and tobacco.
The taste was a bit surprising to Lisa, who is not a Cab devotee. It was a bit earthy, smoky, spicy—more like a Shiraz than a California Cab. The smokiness worked nicely with the steak tips, which had a slight bbq flavor. Gary was taken by the full fruit, round tannins, and smooth finish. We agreed the Caparone was a fine Cabernet for the money ($13) but expected it to improve after 24 hours of aeration and pairing with a better grade of beef.
Night Two — Caparone Cabernet and Tenderloin
After checking out the Caparone Winery web site, Lisa discovered the origin of the smoky flavor. Caparone's Cab is a "classic cool-climate cabernet - dark, intense, with a slight smokiness that is unique to the Bien Nacido Vineyard." Gary fired up the broiler and prepared a simple but delicious steak, seasoned only with Kosher salt and white pepper from St. Martin. On day two, the Cabernet's flavors had deepened. Paired with the tenderloin, the Cab's earthiness subsided and it tasted a bit more refined...more "Cab" like to Lisa's taste. Gary noted a dryer finish.
Whoever gave us the Caparone 2002 Cab — thanks! We liked it and, for $13, would certainly recommend it as an every-day wine, whatever caliber meat you pair with it.
Caparone is a boutique, family-run business with father Dave and son Marc at the helm. They produce full-bodied red wines, with a focus on the classic Italian varietals Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Aglianico. The Cab comes from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, located in Sisquoc, in the Santa Maria Valley.
Night One — Caparone Cabernet and Steak Tips
We had returned from a four-day business trip to California that morning and were still a bit jet lagged. Cooking was out. So we called up our local pizzeria and got the always-reliable steak tips. Then we cracked open the Caparone. It's a beauty to look at, deep ruby red with a circle of caramel at the edges. Wonderful aroma, with hints of cassis, leather, and tobacco.
The taste was a bit surprising to Lisa, who is not a Cab devotee. It was a bit earthy, smoky, spicy—more like a Shiraz than a California Cab. The smokiness worked nicely with the steak tips, which had a slight bbq flavor. Gary was taken by the full fruit, round tannins, and smooth finish. We agreed the Caparone was a fine Cabernet for the money ($13) but expected it to improve after 24 hours of aeration and pairing with a better grade of beef.
Night Two — Caparone Cabernet and Tenderloin
After checking out the Caparone Winery web site, Lisa discovered the origin of the smoky flavor. Caparone's Cab is a "classic cool-climate cabernet - dark, intense, with a slight smokiness that is unique to the Bien Nacido Vineyard." Gary fired up the broiler and prepared a simple but delicious steak, seasoned only with Kosher salt and white pepper from St. Martin. On day two, the Cabernet's flavors had deepened. Paired with the tenderloin, the Cab's earthiness subsided and it tasted a bit more refined...more "Cab" like to Lisa's taste. Gary noted a dryer finish.
Whoever gave us the Caparone 2002 Cab — thanks! We liked it and, for $13, would certainly recommend it as an every-day wine, whatever caliber meat you pair with it.
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