2020 Allégorie Wine Cabernet Sauvignon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Photo ©Hector Madrigai and City Hotel website
Earlier this year attended a great tasting of 10 wines, each ranging from $115 to $300/bottle at the historic Columbia Hotel. I was tasting the day before the event at Allégorie and Loren gave me a bottle of the 2020 Allégorie Cabernet Sauvignon to add to the mix. The wines for the tasting event were already set and couldn’t add the Allégorie wine. Here is the link to the exquisite tasting event:
The Winery/Tasting Room – Allégorie Wine
Photo from Allégorie website
Allégorie Wine is located at 432 Main Street in downtown Murphys. The tasting room is in a 160-year-old apothecary building. They have reconstructed the tasting room and the outside patio seating area. The winery is now under new ownership with Loren Bishop who took over two years ago. He is also the new winemaker. I have briefly visited them but have not tasted their entire new lineup. When greeting customers, he asks if he can tell the 11 second Tempranillo story. So I said yes, and it truly was 11 seconds and encompasses how he ended up as the owner & winemaker! If you visit, truly a good story.
Photo from Allégorie website
Today they offer Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, both barrel aged and done in stainless steel. The reds they offer are various blends, Merlot, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. They also have a Petite Rose. The tasting room is extremely well done and very inviting for guests.
Photo from Allégorie website
The Wine – “Wine if bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A very comfortable Cabernet Sauvignon and uncharacteristic of typical foothill Cabernet Sauvignon. The Calaveras foothills are known for various wines, but typically not Cabernet Sauvignon. First on the eyes a dark and rich ruby coloring and medium heavy viscosity in the glass. On the nose dark cherries with a hint of plums. On the palate, a semi-sweet vanilla with dark plums and cedar. On the finish pepper and spices fill the mouth. At the finish, silky and rounded tannins, noticeable but not obtrusive. This wine sells for $60/bottle and comes in at 14.6% alcohol.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a seasoned ribeye steak seared at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Accompanied by a Yukon Gold potato. Enjoyed while watching the first 49’er football game last evening. This was a very good food and wine pairing with the tannins working beautifully on the meat.
Sláinte,
Michael