In the world of wine, as most know, there is no legal definition for “proprietary red”.   Largely ambiguous when used in relation to a wine, the word “proprietary” infers a sense of exclusive right by the winery to the goodness that waits in that bottle and generally reflects a unique craftsmanship that a winery is seeking to hold out to the public.   Whether that proprietary wine is actually good or not, that is left to the whim of the individual palate to determine.

Recently a family member celebrated a birthday and as part of the festivities, I elected to plan a menu for said dinner.   Needing to include some element of sheer birthday-merited surprise, I was determined to select a wine that was unique yet had not been experienced by my brother.  Not an easy task since his palate has often tagged along on my winery visits in Napa Valley as I selected wines to feature on the web site; thus, my selection had to be discrete, if not furtive.   Mulling through my wine collection armed with careful consideration, I decided that it was time to introduce him to a Proprietary Red vintage that stood out exceptionally in a particular year.

2005 was a year that gifted Napa Valley with large amounts of fruit.   Dry hot summers followed a winter that had been light on rain and red grapes were plentiful in the valley by harvest.  At first blush one would think that heavy grape production would benefit the wine industry, however, unless a grower “drops fruit” (meaning prematurely picking clusters of grapes), the flavors in the grapes on the wine will not be as concentrated.   Some may view this as sacrilege, but by prematurely picking clusters of grapes, the remaining grapes are able to develop greater flavors and characteristics.  In certain seasons “dropping fruit” thus becomes necessary if a grower is to maintain consistency in the quality of the grapes that he or she grows and to contribute to award winning wines for which Napa Valley is known.

When thinking about Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, the concept of “dropping fruit” makes perfect sense.   Cabernet Sauvignon as a wine is known in Napa Valley for big, often intense, flavors and structure.   “Dropping fruit” during the growing season will allow the fruit that is still on the vine to develop bigger and bolder concentrated flavors.   Alpha Omega Winery (“Alpha Omega”) in Napa Valley recognized this importance and through its contracted growers, ensured that the fruit that it selected for its 2005 Proprietary Red would maintain unique concentrated characteristics.

Despite being “proprietary”, Alpha Omega does share with its patrons that in 2005, its Proprietary Red consisted of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot.   Carefully selecting vineyards in Yountville, Spring Mountain, Rutherford Bench and Oakville, Alpha Omega sought to create a proprietary blended red wine which would impress the palate with a complex structure yet be accompanied by a unique round softness in the mouth.  For the geography enthusiasts who readily understand the diversity of the American Viticultural Areas’s (“AVA’s”) and the mountain areas included in this wine’s grape selection, it is not a surprise when tasting the 2005 Proprietary Red that the structure and feel of the wine was well accomplished.

Pouring the wine into the glass, the coloring is dark almost as night yet its rim is accented by subtle warm hues of crimson.   Despite the inky appearance of the wine, the bouquet entrances the nose with gorgeous deep notes of black cherries, roasted fennel, white pepper, red raspberry, mocha dust which are kissed by toasty oak, milk chocolate and clove.   Tasting the wine, the 31% Merlot works its magic bringing deliciously smooth, round velvety sensations with flavors of blackberry, licorice and dark chocolate along with perhaps the best palate character of a Bordeaux-style blend, black currant.

Given the wine’s terrific structure of acids, oak, dry finish and notable artisan tannins, a unique dinner menu was planned:

1)      Vidalia Onions Braised in Red Wine Reduction Sauce;

2)     White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes; and

3)     Braised Top Sirloin Tips and Cremini Mushrooms.

Vidalia Onions, long recognized for a unique sweet flavor, become decadent guests on any dinner menu when roasted in the oven.   To add a gourmet element, a red wine reduction sauce was created including thyme freshly picked from the garden, cloves, sugar to sweeten and fresh lemon to brighten.

Biting into these succulent warm delights is an explosion of warm late autumnal spiced, roasted sweet onion.   After having sat in the oven, the red wine reduction sauce converted itself into a delicious sweet caramelized glaze.   When paired with the wine, tasty notes of baked blackberry and thyme tumble across the palate.   Rarely is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend wine outstanding with just a side dish, but when accompanying a roasted Vidalia Onion Braised in Red Wine Reduction Sauce, Alpha Omega’s 2005 Proprietary Red meets its culinary soul mate and simply shines.

When creating menus for Cabernet Sauvignon based red wines, I am normally not a fan of pairing potatoes.   Reason being, the potato’s sugar content can distort the wine’s true identity.   However, add white cheddar cheese, cream and sour cream to those mashed potatoes and it is a different story.   Cheddar brings a certain fat content that wrestles any tannin to the sideline and similarly balances the sugar content of the potato itself.   My recipe for White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes is outstandingly creamy and deliciously rich such that it pairs decadently and seamlessly with Alpha Omega’s 2005 Proprietary Red.   Each bite is simply heavenly and the white cheddar in the recipe adds a much needed depth to otherwise boring mashed potatoes.

Atop the White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, my brother found Braised Top Sirloin Tips and Mushrooms.   At first blush, the beef sounds like a simple straight-forward pairing but knowing in advance the characteristics of the wine, I took advantage of creating a proprietary red wine braise which included (among other things) baking spices, garden fresh thyme and a cinnamon stick.   This medley of seasonings for the steak paired perfectly with the wine and similarly would pair well with most Bordeaux blend red wines.

In the end, it was a birthday meal well-served.   And for that little bit of wine in the glass that was left at the end of the meal, it sided up brilliantly to the chocolate birthday cake (not featured) that adorned the table.   Despite the silence which fell upon the guests at the table who hungrily savored each layer of flavor, my brother kept saying “damn tasty” and I thought, “delightfully decadent.”