"NAPA VALLEY" news and stories

More often than not, Cabernet Sauvignon is associated with Napa, just as the Switzerland is linked with chocolate, and Vermont or Wisconsin with artisan cheese.

But I thought it might be fun to look at other wine-growing regions around the world where Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown. One advantage to looking outside of Napa is that the Cabs cost much, much less. (It's difficult to find a quality Napa Cab under $30.) This is true from the state of Washington to Mendoza, Argentina.

Here are six juicy Cabs that I recently sipped and fell in love with -- and none are from Napa.

Where did footballer David Beckham (of the Los Angeles Galaxy) and his wife, Victoria, (former Spice Girl and Marc Jacobs poster girl) jet off to for the New Year's holiday?

Napa, California. Along with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey (and his wife Tana), as well as Seal and Heidi Klum, Becks and Posh tucked in for a few nights at Auberge du Soleil, reports The Sun. The auberge, a sweet resort with Mediterranean-inspired decor, has espresso machines and toasters in each room (just in case you get that 3 a.m. craving for a bagel?), a 7,000-square-foot spa, and "tortes au chocolat" (artisan chocolates made by the executive pastry chef which guests can buy on-demand with 24-hours notice).

And, of course, this is wine country. The Beckhams aren't just visitors in the valley; they own a vineyard, a 2008 birthday gift to Victoria from David, with a promise that they would make their own wine one day (every pro athlete needs a back-up career, yes?). No news yet on the couple's grapes of choice.

Seems the Beckhams are becoming regulars near their vineyard. This past November, according to GrubStreet.com, they noshed across Napa Valley with their kiddies, stopping at Meadowood (a super-fancy resort with an equally posh eatery: Restaurant at Meadowood; the Michelin three-starred restaurant has chef Christopher Kostow at the helm) and Morimoto in Napa (think contemporary Asian: tuna pizza, oyster foie gras and roasted lobster with garam masala).

Who doesn't love a nice, dry Cabernet? As if to a flame, moths have been flocking in great number to the grape vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, and Salano and feasting on the young spring crops -- causing the wine industry a major headache. The California Department of Agriculture has quarantined 162 square miles in an effort to isolate the moth larvae.

It's not just any moth, either: This is EGVM, or Lobesia botrana, which up until now has been found in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America, but never in North America. The pest was first spotted in Oakville, Calif., last September, and since then two pockets of infestation have been identified -- both in the heart of wine country.

• Will work for wine: Even Napa's feeling the economic pinch this winter.
• When surly chefs start tweeting, social media takes on an antisocial vibe.
• "Motorino is having a moment. That seems fair. It serves the city's best pizza."
• Meanwhile, this Phoenix restaurant's goal is less lofty: "We're just trying to bring reality back to dining...to get back to the way people used to eat."
• Speaking of of old-fashioned eating: Finish your Brussels sprouts. No, really. You'll like them.

Cabernet Sauvignon is among the most storied, sought-after red wines. In the late '90s UC Davis' Department of Viticulture and Enology concluded that the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is an offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It's grown in almost every wine-producing country. California's Napa Valley is home to cult classics like Screaming Eagle, Harlan and Stags' Leap – if you can afford them, by all means sip 'em.

Here, I suggest seven affordable alternatives – a mix of old-timers and some newer Cabernet producers, sourced from varying climates. My food pairing suggestion is to use these Cabs as an excuse to grill meat – whether it's a beefy burger or prime rib. These wines are bold, muscular wines that can stand up to just about any food, but you wouldn't want it to completely overpower a seafood or fruit-infused dish.