The Wine
Blue Water Winery Cab Sauvignon and Franc
2009 Vintage
Blue Water Winery
Carsonville, Michigan, USA
North of Lexington and South of Port Sanilac
13.5% abv
$16.00 I think, damn I forgot to get the price list from them.
Appearance: Bright and shiny ruby color with a little watery edge on the rim. Lighter in color than I would expect but, this is a fairly new winery they have been around since 2004.
Aroma: fruity, cherry and raspberry like with a dusting of spice.
Flavors: very pleasing, sweet cherry, black raspberry, just a dash of pink peppercorn,
Mouthfeel: smooth, fresh, pleasing to the palate, clean aftertaste, tannins seem low, and the acidic level seems low. I would guess this one is not for aging.
My Strength Rating: 4 – a mild-medium Cab Blend.
To the Point: Okay, it is not going to make it with the big boys, yet. But, it is very enjoyable to drink. They have only been making wine for six or seven years now and I am looking forward to following their wines in the future.
I enjoyed it with a homemade pizza.
I think this will pair well with a good mild-medium bodied cigar and I have one in mind and I just reviewed it yesterday. So, let me grab a new one out of the humidor and let’s do a wine and cigar pairing.
The Cigar
Gurkha Beauty
Wrapper: Connecticut-seed – Ecuadorian
Binder: Dominican
Fillers: Nicaraguan
5 year old tobaccos
Size: 6.5 x 56 according to CI
Sure looks bigger. I just plucked a 60 ring gauge stick out of the humidor and it is the same size of this baby.
I got a 10 pack for $50.00 from Cigars International.
This stick can be $20 or more.
This blonde beauty has one flaw – it has a heavy leaf vein right on the butt side.
Off the Light: nice smooth woodsy note right off the bat. The texture is smooth and almost creamy off the light. As the smoke continues I am going to pigeon hole the wood note to a mild oaky flavor. Late in the first third I am reminded of a meaty walnut taste. My Strength Rating 2/2.5
The Pairing: This cigar really adds some body to the wine. The cherry and raspberry notes feel a little fuller on the tongue. This is much better than I thought it would be.
Mid-Point: This is a pretty straight forward mild cigar with that oaky and walnut like taste. It is very enjoyable to smoke. And, it has an elegant style to the smoking experience. My Strength Rating at the mid-point: 2.5 – an elegant mild-medium smoke.
The Pairing: The oak and walnut like notes of the cigar complement the fresh berry notes of the wine. The hint of sweetness, from the wine, comes through during this pairing yet, the wines dry style is still pleasing.
Down the Stretch: the solid woody note continues with a dusty earth style as I smoke this ‘beauty’ down to the nub. That vein on the butt side did not become a factor. The texture continued to be smooth with a pleasing aftertaste. My Strength Rating on the finish: 3
The Pairing: I think the cigar helps to bring out the wines acidic nature – in a good way. Remember, I said that the wines acidic level seemed low when I reviewed the wine by itself. The mouthfeel from these two is definitely on the mild-medium side. The aftertaste is relatively clean and that means this would be a very good before dinner experience. I have to admit that I really like this pairing.
My Strength Rating for the Cigar: 2.5 – a great mild-medium smoking experience.
To the Point: for the right price this cigar is a must buy. I am a full to medium-full bodied fan but, as always I enjoy all ranges.
Pair this cigar with a mild-medium Pinot Noir, a mild Beaujolais Nouveau, or this should pair well with some good whites. With the third week of November heading our way keep an eye out for that Beaujolais and make a night of it.
Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon,
35% Cabernet Franc
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