Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is hands-down the favorite red wine of choice, world over. It is the most renowned and the most planted grape for wine, from France to the America to South Africa and South America.

Many people are surprised when they first see Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on the vine because they have an image of the large, juicy table grapes that we buy in grocery stores. In fact, berries for thist wine are rather small, sometimes not much larger than a big pea, and are a dark blue color versus the expected purple tone of many red wine grapes.

As a wine, it is majestic with dark black fruit like plum or cassis or berry flavors with layers of spice, herbs, or savory qualities like leather or tobacco. A well-made Cab (as it is often nicknamed) will show amazing depth of character in fruit and tiered components, being balanced in acidity and tannins.

Much of Cabernet Sauvignon’s pre-eminence in the wine world has to do with its ageability. A young Cabernet Sauvignon may be fruit-forward and very bold, but still be very drinkable with potentially heightened tannins. A ten or twenty-year old bottle will have the huge fruit notes tamed with time, showing more subtle flavors possibly of dried herbs and earth, muted berries, and integrated spice.

In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is the base wine that makes up some of the world’s most famous blends, like Château Mouton Rothschild, but since the French don’t have to list the grape varieties on the label, the exact blend might never be known. The rest of the classic "Bordeaux" varietals that make up a blend include Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Carmenère.

In California, Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme and some could argue that it is the grape that put the New World on the global wine map. While almost every state in the union produces a wine, Cab is almost quintessentially California and more specifically, one could argue the very best come from Napa. The wines have a signature bold style but can vary tremendously from wines made from "valley floor" fruit to those with softer tannins from mountain wineries. While Cabernet Sauvignon is produced all over the state of California, it is from Napa that the famous "Cult Cabs" are produced.

The Southern Hemisphere is especially kind to the Cabernet Sauvignon grape with amazing offerings coming from South Africa, Argentina, and Southeast Australia. The advantage of exploring the new world offerings is first and foremost value as they are being blended with native grapes like Malbec and Carmènere.

A new (under five years old) Cab is tends to be big fruit bombs. That is not necessarily bad, but is best paired with heavy, meaty foods; steaks, beef stew, roast lamb, and game foods like venison. Once a well-made Cab has some age on it – say 10 to 20 years – and the tannins have softened, it is the perfect accompaniment to haute cuisine; roast duck, truffled coursed, or fine meats with delicately prepared sauces.

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• Wine Calories
• Wine Serving Temperatures
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• Best Cabernet Sauvignon Under $25
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