Wine is made for the enjoyment of all and is never under any true form of competition amongst the other spectacular wines for any Championship Belt or wine equivalent of an “Employee of the Month” badge. But if they were….
“And now, entering the ring! With a content of 14.5% ABV! Your reigning, medium-bodied weight champion! Everyone, put your hands together for Cabernet Sauvignon!”
Can’t you hear it? The crowd is going wild! Grown adults are crying with joy, other disgruntled members argue that another competitor should have won, and the theme music is turned up to ample volume in celebration! What’s that? You really can hear it!? From where you’re sitting, this is just another Concert Series Saturday evening at von Stiehl as your Uncle Dale and Cousin Marla debate whether the current or previous vintage of Cabernet was better. You don’t offer much for input. The Cabernet based wines here are your favorite! I mean, you just can’t go wrong! You always end up leaving with at least two bottles of wine whenever you find a free Saturday to enjoy some wine and live music. The Cabernet Sauvignon has always displayed aromas of black cherry, cassis and plum, which make every sip full of dark currant and berries all the more rich! You know by experience that this wine pairs well with so many varieties of cooked red meat dishes but your favorite pairing of all is just sitting down with a full glass and a large serving of lasagna.
Your Cabernet daydream is complemented by the band’s rendition of Lake Street Dive’s, “You Go Down Smooth”. Uncle Dale and Marla are still comparing wine notes; at least now they seem to be on the same side of admiring the bold, savory nature of the wine. You pick up your glass of Naughty Girl. You had never tried the wine before despite the numerous friends and acquaintances stating that, “You would just love it!” You had figured that all these customers would just buy the wine on the enticing name alone, yet you are taken over by the opulent flavors of fresh black raspberries and smooth tannins. The robust cheese sampling of gouda, cheddar and blue cheese that you purchased from the winery’s cider bar could not have been a better pair for the current celebration of flavor that is occurring on the surface of your taste buds.
As the band plays on and your night ends with laughter and the thankful feeling of your surrounding family, you hurry into the winery to make your purchases. You readily approach the counter with a smile and excitement for another glass upon your arrival home.
“A bottle of your Cabernet Sauvignon and Naughty Girl, please!”
Submitted By: Renee S. Young; New Franken, WI; Family Plan Member Since 2018
