A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Steak

From California Cab to Swartland Blend... and Some Notes Along the Way

Recently we had the pleasure of tasting a couple of very different bottles of wine with friends over a good steak.

In the syrah corner, Observatory Syrah Pinotage blend 2004, from Swartland, South Africa. It calls itself Rhone blend, and it does have a Syrah center but it's also got pinotage, which is not a varietal one sees in the Rhone, so it's actually a South African wine. (If you haven't tried pinotage, it's an unusual varietal, which will likely remind you of Cinsaut and possibly Cab Franc, and just about every agrees it has a crappy nose). Wine Spectator (87 points) says of the 2004 Observatory offering: "Highly perfumed and utterly fascinating aromas of cherry, rose petal, lilac and crushed stone."

In the cab corner, Karl Lawrence Cabernet, also 2004, from Napa. Boutique winery, expert winemaker, classic California Cab. Wine Enthusiast gets the winemakers intention: "This has acids and tannins and plenty of structure. The winemaker is aiming at an ageworthy, more classic wine. It needs time, or at the very least, serious decanting. But the stuffing is there."

Both 2004, both well-made, well-structured wines. The Karl Lawrence is a more expensive wine, for what it's worth. But they're both highly regarded wines, both good, both have their fanatic fans.

So, what did we discover:

Very different wines. Classic cab versus a syrah-pinotage blend. Most of us are not familiar with the pinotage taste (and many of us don't recommend straight pinotage). So the Observatory was something new -- "funky" and "different" were words used to describe it. "Ah" and "smooth" were words used to describe the Karl Lawrence cabernet.

Steak likes classic cab. The cabernet went better with the steak, the flavors mingled beautifully. The wine didn't overpower the steak, and nor did it present a different taste.

Interesting is good. Once we'd finished the steak, the Observatory became better loved, with cheese, or with post-meal conversation it provided something a bit different.

Pinotage keeps for days. Okay, I haven't really tested this one. But we had half a bottle left of the Observatory, and I vacuumed it and put it in the fridge. Allowed it to return to room temp before I drank a glass the next day. And? It was fine, delicious. Repeated, drank a glass the next day, and while it had aged, it was still good. Perhaps the strength of pinotage is exactly that: it's strength. A tough varietal that is easy to grow, invented by a professor at the University of Stellenbosch, it makes for a hardy wine, one that you can drink (w/ the right care) over two or three days.

So, which do you go for with your next steak dinner? Both, of course.

. . .

> More on California Cabernets.

> More on South African Syrahs.