"Est vieilli le meilleur" (aged is best). This is the name of the game with cabernet sauvignon. That's because the secret to cabernet sauvignon's prowess as a wine of choice is a meticulous aging process.

Cabernet sauvignon is a red wine varietal that hails from the wineries of the famed district of Medoc in Bordeaux, France. According to studies conducted in 1997, cabernet sauvignon is the result of interbreeding sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc.

A glass of young and fresh cabernet sauvignon is resplendent of black currants and is very tannic. As the precious liquid ages, it gets hints of cherries, blackberries, ceday, bell peppers, green olives, pimientos, green peppercorns, and ginger.

You may also recognize the parfums of cedar, eucalyptus, leather, a cigar box, oak, earth, and chocolate emanating from this blood-colored elixir. Further downing a shot of cabernet sauvignon causes you to identify more saveur of coconuts, vanilla, musk, smoke, sweet wood, toast, and mushrooms.

These flavors and fragrances get more pronounced as the cabernet sauvignon advances with age. Truly, est vieilli le meilleur.

A very versatile grape, cabernet sauvignon, adapts well to being planted in many different regions around the World. This grape makes the reference reds that other wines are compared to. Mixed with merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot in the Bordeaux regions of Medoc and Graves this grape makes the archetypal red wine. A wine that exists at a peak of refinement and allusiveness which few other wines can match.

Its life span after a good vintage can extend twenty or thirty years and beyond.

In California The cabernet sauvignons possess an enormously tannic and alcoholic wine barely tamed by its oak barrels. Their grandeur is unique and affords real aging potential where the wine takes on a chocolate softness.

For sheer drinkability cabernet sauvignon from Chile is hard to beat. The plum and mulberry fruit undertones have a purity and exuberance rarely matched from cabernet sauvignons of other countries.

Zinfandel can be light and fruity, much like French Beaujolais, or lively, complex and age worthy, like cabernet sauvignon or claret. It can also be made into big, ripe, high alcohol style wines that almost resemble port.

Zinfandel has a very hardy nature. Adaptable to a wide range of soils and climates, its vines tend to be vigorous and productive.

Because of its vigor, generosity and resistance to vine disease, many zinfandel vineyards exist that are seventy-five to more than one hundred years old.

Zinfandel aficionados believe these "old vines" produce the best wines because the older vineyards set smaller crops and the grapes tend to ripen more evenly.

Zinfandel is one red varietal that is best enjoyed in its youth. With more bottle age the luscious fruit that distinguishes Zinfandel drops markedly and the wine can show a pronounced taste of higher alcohol levels.

When paired with grilled steaks, chops or meat that has been stewed Zinfandel becomes a prime motivation for people to become wine lovers.

Pinot noir grape may be quite difficult to cultivate and vinify, but it produces the finest wine in the history of mankind. Originally from the region of Burgundy, France, pinot noir is now grown and cultivated in several places outside of scenic France such as Austria, Australia, Chile, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Moldova, Switzerland, and the United States. Specifically, Oregon vineyards has thus far become one of the most successful planting fields of pinot noir primarily because of their exceptional climate that so well matches the grape's nature.

Pinot noir wine, a light-colored red wine, is aromatic and flavorful, suggestive of black cherry, tomato, raspberry, strawberry, cinnamon, mint, and mushroom. It is velvety in texture and seductive in nature, and may typically go well with any food because of its versatility. And in fact, any meal becomes extra special with a bottle of pinoit noir wine and a romantic toast.

Quite often a good wine is a great wine when paired with the right food. Some food and wine pairings are quite obvious where as others are often illusive. Are you planning a dinner and want to see what wine would go best with it? Have you had a great meal that was perfectly paired with a wine? Please share it so we can all enjoy the wine pairing.

Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area Wine Group. I'm looking for a couple of group leaders to to take over this group once we get it up and running. If you would like to organize or plan things please let me know. If you are in the area please join up. If you know of an event or tasting in the area please post it. North Bay, East Bay, South Bay, Peninsula and SF itself are included in this group and we'd like a group leader for each part of the SF Bay area.