The love-child of cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon shares characteristics of both its parents; a blend of the grassy notes of sauvignon blanc, and the mix of blackcurrant and pencil shavings, often found in cabernet franc.

A relatively assertive wine, a cabernet needs a hearty dish to balance its weight. Red meat, particularly steak, is the classic pairing with cab sauv, as the proteins help to bring out the fruit in the wine, by reducing our perception of the tannins. Cheeses such as gruyere, cheddar, mozzarella and brie also go very well with cab sauv, but avoid anything too strong; blue cheeses will compete with the flavours of the wine.

Give it a try: Franschhoek Cellar Churchyard cabernet sauvignon is a smooth wine with flavours of roasted coffee and red berries. Try it with a tender fillet at the Grill Room. Head chef at the Grill Room, Geraldine White says “All our beef is aged for a minimum of 2 weeks before delivery to us. We then wet age it in a vacuum pack for a further week before it gets put on your plate. We only deal with one producer and our meat is fully traceable to its source to guarantee quality.”

For more on Franschhoek Cellars wines, click here.