We picked the Vineyard 29 Estate Cabernet as the perfect pairing for the ultimate cheeseburger for its structure, tannins and balanced fruit profile. This pairing also paired well with the CRU Cabernet Sauvignon! Ever wondered what to pair with a $300 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon? Today, we got you covered! We kept it simple, but snuck in a couple extra delicious secrets.. hope you enjoy!

The Ultimate Cheeseburger

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound of ground beef (we used 2 pounds in this video)
• 1 egg per pound
• 2 tablespoons per pound (season to taste) of CRU Cabernet Sauvignon Spice
• CRU Olive Oil CRU

Cabernet Spice Aioli

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon of CRU Cabernet Sauvignon Spice

CRU Cabernet Potato Wedges

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 Golden Yellow Potatoes
• 1-2 Teaspoons of CRU Cabernet Spice
• CRU Olive oil to coat

The Ultimate Cheeseburger

RECIPE PREPARATION

1. In a pan, add a tablespoon of CRU Olive Oil, bring to a slow heat and add onions. Cook on low for 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine 1 pound of ground beef and 1 raw egg. Once well incorporated, add 1 tablespoon of CRU Cabernet Sauvignon Spice. Mix well and another tablespoon of the CRU Cabernet Sauvignon Spice. Add 3/4th of your grilled onions.
3. For the patties to be roughly 1 inch thick and make a depression with your thumb in the middle.
4. In a pan add a little oil, let heat up until the oil is shinny. Add the burger and cook until golden brown and slightly charred. Flip over and cook the other side.
5. Once your burger is fully cooked, turn off the heat and add your Fiscalini Cheddar, cover the pan and let sit for a couple minutes until cheese has started to melt.
6. We used brioche buns for this recipe, but you can use which ever bun you prefer. Add Ketchup, Mayo, Dijon, Tomatoes, grilled onions and Arugula before adding your burger and serving. We sprinkled a little extra CRU Cabernet Sauvignon spice!

CRU Cabernet Potato Wedges

RECIPE PREPARATION

1. Start by pre-hearting your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut each potato into little 1/2 inch wedges (roughly 8 wedges per potato). In a bowl, drizzle potatoes with a little CRU Olive Oil until there are evenly coated. Sprinkle in 1-2 teaspoons of CRU Cabernet Sauvignon Spice. Toss until well coated.
3. Evenly arrange each on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turn every 10 minutes to ensure even crispiness.

CRU Cabernet Spice Aioli 

Step: In a bowl mix the ingredients well and serve!

CRU Cabernet Sauvignon Spice was delicately crafted to deeply enhance the organic beauty of our CRU Cab, bringing out juicy black and blue flavors, violet flowers, cocoa and mocha notes. The first of its kind was crafted using these ingredients: Mixed peppercorns, Allspice, Garlic, Shallots, Porcini Mushrooms, Espresso Salt a proprietary blend of spices. The CRU Cab spices goes well with almost anything, but we really enjoy it on steak, pasta sauce, marinades and meat rubs.

Vineyard 29, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: The dark fruit profile of Violets, black currants, brambly blackberry and cocoa powder jump out of the glass. The entry is full and mouth coating with black cassis, blueberry compote, and hints of smoked meats and mocha. The perfect harmony between power and finesse, the ‘29 Estate’ Cabernet possesses such richness and concentration with a velvety texture and firm acid and tannin profile. Incredibly balanced and complex throughout, this estate Cabernet will be shining for over two decades.

Our 29 Estate Vineyard sits on a hillside just at the “pinch” of Napa Valley’s hourglass shape. Excellent airflow provides natural frost protection, while the fertile clay loam soils encourage deeply rooted vines, yielding powerfully concentrated cabernet sauvignon tempered by markedly floral, velvet elegance and explosive aromatic.

The Fiscalini Cheddar easily stands on its own and is often used at the winery as the primary pairing with the Estate Cab. This firm yet crumbly and straw-colored cheese has a nutty, slightly smoky, earthy and more round finish than most aged cheddars. Fiscalini Cheddar is made from raw cow’s milk, hand crafted into 60 pound wheels and aged a minimum of 14 months.The firm texture just melts in your mouth when combined with a sip of wine. You can pick this up at Vineyard29.com or in most specialty cheese spots.