When it comes to big wines with bold flavours, Cabernet Sauvignon is king and there is no denying it. If you are looking for full-bodied red wine, get a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. I must note that our Basi Maria is a Cabernet Sauvignon with a twist because it has a bit of sugarcane in it. The Maria is a full-bodied red that is generous in the mouth. I believe that one of our resident winemakers Sigrid Salucop wrote a very passionate piece about the Basi Maria.

Full-bodied red wines are usually the go-to wines for most wine lovers and the cab is often the first choice. It is characterised by its richness, a mouth-coating density like no other. Full-bodied red wines like a bottle of cab are usually darker than most. In fact, if you already know the top 10 blackest grapes in the world, you will already know which wines are categorised as full-bodied but that, again, is a story for another day.

Cabernet Sauvignon + Meat Pairing Suggestions

Pairing this beautiful wine is quite simple. Remember that this is a big, bold wine, and you should always equate that piece of information with heavier dishes. A cab has power and structure and sometimes it can even leave a rather distinct spicy aftertaste. Think dark cherry, blackberry, and plum. Isn’t that just beautiful?

Pairing it with meat is the default choice with steak being the most obvious but be very careful because there are some pieces that are better than others. A grilled ribeye steak would do well with a bottle of cab because it has fat marbling that can go against the dryness of most Cabernet Sauvignons. I don’t want to generalise here but most are a bit dry. Basi del Diablo’s Basi Maria is not as dry as most of these wines because of its sugarcane content. That is something to consider if you want to pair this particular wine with steak. Basi Maria will be able to hold its water against a good steak, however, but it won’t be as heavy as your usual bold red. Smoked short ribs are also wonderful with high tannin wines especially if they are cooked slowly.  If you love heavy, saucy dishes, beef stews are also a fine choice especially if you put a bit of red wine into the stew as well.

Not fond of beef? Lamb sprinkled with thyme is something that you should try with your cab especially if you currently have a bottle of Bordeaux sitting in your chiller.

It doesn’t have to be fancy all the time though because there are days when a good cheeseburger from your favourite burger joint will do just fine. You can pair a big wine with that cheeseburger as long as it has that je ne sais quoi.

Got Cheese?

Cheese may very well be the second best invention in the international food scene and pairing it with wine will definitely be pleasurable. Fatty cheeses pair well with a bottle of cab. This includes gouda, cheddar, and herbed cheeses. The latter is a great idea if you want to highlight the herbal notes in the Cabernet Sauvignon that you will be drinking.

Don’t be afraid of pairing this particular wine with any type of food though because you might discover a few simple pleasures by being adventurous.