As is tradition at our home – Christmas dinner is a slow roasted Prime Rib. The roast is encrusted in rock salt with a mix of crushed pepper and just a hint of tarragon and while cooking it literally bastes itself in with it’s own fats and is true to the term “greasy meat.” If you are serving a pork shoulder roast, goose or duck this holiday these all qualify for the greasy meat category.

As the title suggests I can’t think of anything better than a big bold Cabernet Sauvignon to go with the roast I am preparing. This varietal is a perfect compliment to these type of meats that are very strong in their own flavor and ask for the perfect partnering wine with the same qualities.

In the past I have stayed with an old standard, the Beaulieu Vineyard – Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (http://www.bvwines.com). I was a member of their wine club some years ago and have had a decent selection of past vintages but have since run low. This wine is still an excellent choice but I recommend getting a vintage that has aged a good 6-8 years to soften the tannins. Retail price at the winery can go from $85.00 – $100.00+ per bottle but I have found it cheaper at various wine shops.

For those of you who have never paid that kind of money for a wine, remember that I am pairing this with a seven -pound Prime Rib at $6.99 per pound. I’ll spend that kind of moolah on a wine if it’s going with a $50 roast.

That said, I have selected a much less expensive and younger bottle for my table this year. A 2004 Chiarello Family Vineyards Bambino Cab.

There are a couple reason I chose this wine over others. Reason one… This is the second release Cab for this vineyard and I really enjoyed the first vintage. Secondly, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to Chef Micheal Chiarello (http://www.napastyle.com) describe his wines and he stays away from the traditional descriptions opting to weave the wines with a story and personality. How could I not buy it?

I can verbatim this wine’s description from the winery website http://www.chiarellovineyards.com but I’ll describe it in my own words as Michael might, (he said, as not to offend the Chef)…

It’s a young wine with a lot of curiosity. It will trick you into believing that the initial flavors will carry through to the end but will stop you along the way and show you another path to another region of the Napa Valley. It will grow up to be a fine young man with a stern look and a soft demeanor. And, at $35.00 this is a good match for my $50.00 roast any way I slice it.

Cheers!