Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most-planted red wine grape. Both a blessing and a curse, if you ask me. Formidable popularity is always polarizing, after all.
Inevitably, with the sheer volume of Cabernets on the market, there are some “meh” wines amongst the options. Then again, are some great finds, and of course, a whole bunch of age-worthy and even investment-worthy beauties.
Cabernet Sauvignon, originally from Bordeaux, France, is one of the few grape varieties that’s fully claimed “international” status, long proven successful even in far-flung locales. It’s also a grape that can stand alone with aplomb while playing just as well with others in red blends.
This tasting focuses on Cabernet’s solo and predominantly Cabernet-based bottlings and the countries and regions where the grape has proven its mettle, year after year.
Stuff to know
Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, hence its oh-so-nicely logical name. While a wine grape’s parents don’t always closely resemble their children, in Cabernet Sauvignon’s case, there are similarities. In particular, both Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc have plenty of acidity and a “green” quality, an herbaceousness that can be expressed in many forms. In Cabernet Franc wines, you might call it green bell pepper, jalepeño or mint, while in Sauvignon Blanc, you might call it freshly-cut grass, asparagus or green bell pepper. Cabernet Sauvignon, too, has the pyrazine compounds that often give the wine a “green” quality, though not always. There might be aromas and flavors of green bell pepper, mint, jalepeño, eucalyptus, sage, bay leaf or even pine. While not guaranteed, there’s enough consistency to call that “green” note a family trait.
Grapevine-wise, Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty easy to grow…just not as easy to manage. Cabernet can grow like a weed, which sounds good in theory, but in reality can result in plenty of leafy foliage and not necessarily good quality fruit. Said fruit also ripens late - so late that in some regions with cool vintages, it doesn’t ripen at all. Getting great fruit from Cabernet Sauvignon takes a lot of vineyard management and care, even with ideal weather and growing conditions. Underripe Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t pleasant; its tannins become harsh and that “green” note shifts from an attractive aspect of complexity into a feeling akin to licking bark; a stalky quality that veers from “green” into unpleasantly astringent.
In the winery, too, Cabernet Sauvignon is demanding. Some producers splash out on optical sorting machines to select only the best grapes; others have teams who methodically hand-sort. Some producers use incredibly expensive wooden foudres: large vats, often made from French oak, that line up like sentinels declaring a winery’s hefty investment. Some have rows and rows of concrete tanks of varying sizes to keep the juice from each vineyard separate; sometimes meant for future blending, sometimes not. Some use specialized equipment enabling careful micro-oxygenation. Suffice it to say the fermentation vessels are widely varied, as is the length and temperature of maceration, both before and after fermentation.
Most Cabernet Sauvignon wines are aged in oak barrels, though the size, newness, toast level and origin of the barrels can vary widely, along with the length of aging. Some wineries have their own cooperages on site, crafting and toasting their oak barrels to exactly the level they want. Some wineries have exclusive contracts with prominent cooperages, so that you’ll see both the winery and cooperage’s names on the barrel heads as you stroll through the cellar. Some wineries choose to use American oak, others French, others blends of their own. Some wineries skip the traditional barrels altogether and opt for less expensive or trendy options, like adding oak staves to fermentation vats or buying used bourbon barrels to finish the wine.
While the options are myriad, for the most part, Cabernet Sauvignon’s grainy tannins will be complemented by the grainy tannins from oak, along with the much-needed oxygenation process that happens as wine is slowly, gradually exposed to oxygen due to the porous nature of oak, softening tannins, adding flavor complexity, stabilizing color and helping the wine last longer once bottled.
While Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of the red wine world, it doesn’t often stand entirely solo. There are certain regions where 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines are made, but more often than not, wines described as Cabernet Sauvignon contain at least a small percentage of other grapes in the blend, often Merlot or Cabernet Franc, though though occasionally Syrah/Shiraz, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Carménère or Sangiovese. Blending other grapes into the mix isn’t just a cost-savings thing, though that can be a factor in some regions. Cabernet Sauvignon wines are often described as having a “hole” in the middle. In my experience, it can feel like there’s a blank point in the middle of tasting the wine, like all of the upfront aromas and long-lasting flavors on the finish just drop for a second or two in between. This, combined with the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon wines can feel quite powerfully structured and angular, especially when young, mean that adding a grape like Merlot, which has plenty of soft fruit flavor and texture, can help “fill in the hole,” so to speak.
Classic Cabernet Sauvignon regions all have their own preferences blending-wise, from the oh-so-traditional Bordelais use of Merlot and Cabernet Franc to Tuscany’s famed Super Tuscans, many with Sangiovese in the mix, to Chile’s frequent use of the locally famed Carménère and Australia’s popular Cabernet-Shiraz blends. Rules and regulations vary, too. In some American wines, for example, only 75 percent of the wine is required to be Cabernet Sauvignon in order to use “Cabernet Sauvignon” on the label. In other American wine-producing states and regions, the rule shifts to 80 or 85 percent. While there are always exceptions, the only way to be sure that a wine is 100 percent comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon is to look for a “100%” on the label.
Cabernet Sauvignon wines are not just prized because of Bordeaux and Napa Valley’s prominence. Many are incredibly age-worthy wines. To be honest, I didn’t really “get” Cabernet Sauvignon’s pervasive appeal until I’d tried some older wines that collectors and winery owners were kind enough to share with me. Over time, tannins that can feel astringent in youth soften, though they often remain as subtly fine-grained as ever, continuing to contribute structure even in very old wines. Cabernet’s acidity holds on, too, so that wines whose fruit and herbal flavors have long shifted from fresh to dried still feel lively and refreshing. And there are new aromas and flavors that tend to pop up with age, often savory scents of leather, pencil shavings, cigar boxes and mushrooms. To me, they can start to smell like an old library, the extravagant kind I dreamed of while watching Beauty and the Beast as a kid. That might not sound appealing in a wine, but if you’ve ever sipped an old Cabernet on a cold, rainy day in a cozy spot, fancy or no, you’ll most likely see the appeal.
What to look for in this tasting
Cabernet Sauvignon wines, though rarely comprised of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, tend to be very dry and more savory than fruity, with high acidity, high levels of grippy fine-grained tannins and full bodies. Aroma and flavor-wise, most have blackberries and blackcurrants in the mix, so much so that I now associate the smell of the blackcurrants and even their leaves in our garden with Cabernet Sauvignon. When we make blackcurrant jelly from the berries’ juice, the whole kitchen smells to me like some kind of cross between Cabernet Sauvignon wines and the cassis liqueurs that were a hallmark in Dijon, France, where I used to live. Herbs and green peppers, too, tend to show up in many Cabernets, whether as green bell peppers, jalepeños, mint, eucalyptus, sage or bay leaves. Vanilla, clove and cinnamon are often present too, contributions from oak aging.
While these are some of the hallmarks of Cabernet Sauvignon wines, there are plenty of variations between countries, regions and blends. In an attempt to generalize, cooler climate regions tend to produce Cabernets that have just-ripe blackcurrant fruit, “green,” peppery aromas and occasionally a woody or stalky character that can be pleasant, but can also border on underripe and astringent. Warmer climate regions tend to have clear, strong dark fruit flavors that can even border on jammy or cooked fruit. Blackcurrants still show up, but they often smell and taste like they’re ripe to bursting. The “green” aromas tend toward the herbal versions, and the oak-influenced flavors of vanilla and baking spices are often just as bold as the fruit. Cabernet tends to hold onto its high acidity, even in warmer regions, but the tannins will often feel softer and riper while still prominent and fine-grained when a Cabernet is made from grapes grown somewhere warm and sunny.
As Cabernet Sauvignon wines age, the high acidity and tannin can sometimes feel less like a compilation of “big” components and more like a harmonious experience. The fine-grained tannins remain, they just tend to soften with time and the slow, persistent influence of oxygen. The acidity remains, too, but it tends to gently wrap and carry the wine’s structure forward, rather than triumphantly lifting everything up like baby Simba being held by Rafiki on Pride Rock in The Lion King. With time, the wines’ fruit tends to evolve, moving from freshly picked or exuberantly ripe toward mellower or dried fruit flavors. New aromas and flavors, like leather, cedar, cigar box, mushrooms, pencil shavings, dried herbs and paper-y old books can also show up over time, adding to the wines’ complexity.
The wines
#1: Left Bank Bordeaux
The Left Bank is the region of Bordeaux where the famous 1855 classification of grand cru classé took place. Sauternes was also ranked, along with Chateau Haut-Brion in Graves, but for the most part, the Left Bank, on the Western side of the Garonne river, was where the classification’s focus was aimed. Prices drove the classification of 60 châteaux, which are ranked from first growth (premier cru) down to fifth growth (cinquième cru)…and not much has changed since 1855. Is that fair? Is it an accurate reflection of the producers’ quality today? I can’t really say. There’s a lot of debate.
Nevertheless, the Left Bank remains home to some of the world’s most desirable and imitated red wines. And the good news is that there is plenty of wine produced, so you don’t have to pay first growth prices to enjoy a quality Left Bank Bordeaux.
The wines of the Left Bank are almost always blends made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, though some of the other Bordeaux blend grapes could make an appearance too: Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Malbec. In theory, Cabernet is the predominant and pre-eminent grape on the Left Bank. But in reality, Merlot still makes up the majority of plantings, as it does all over Bordeaux. Cabernet is more difficult to get fully ripe each year than Merlot, so there are fewer sites where it can consistently achieve the goal. As you might have already guessed, most of the first growth sites are places where Cabernet Sauvignon thrives, often with fast-draining gravel soils to keep the vines’ roots from getting too soaked in this near-Atlantic region where things can get exceedingly wet. Not all Left Bank Bordeaux is first growth-level though; there are affordable options too.
Left Bank Bordeaux wines are usually cool climate wines stylistically, with plenty of tannin, just-ripe blackcurrant fruit flavors, evident “green” notes and plenty of vanilla and spice from aging in French oak barrels. There’s often a woody, cedar-y aroma that inevitably reminds me of my great-grandma’s old log cabin in East Texas.
Vintages can vary a lot in Bordeaux, so ask your local retailer to help ensure your bottle is Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant and ready to enjoy.
What to ask for: Left Bank Bordeaux, and then expect to share your target spend
Alternative(s): Stick with Left Bank Bordeaux AOC options like Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc or Moulis
#2: American Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley is, of course, the mecca for Cabernet Sauvignon in the United States. But it’s not the only home for the classic Left Bank Bordeaux grape, so please don’t think that you have to splurge on a top Napa Cab to contribute to this tasting. In a collector tasting group I used to have the luxury of attending in Austin, Texas, there was a regular debate about whether Napa or Sonoma made the best California Cabs. And beyond the North Coast, there are plenty of wine regions in California, Washington State and elsewhere that produce Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
While there will be stylistic variations, with more or less ripeness, more or less prominent oak and more or less savory flavors, American Cabernet Sauvignons generally have dark, clear fruit flavors like blackberry, blackcurrant and black plum. These wines are known for being “big,” intense and concentrated, often with sweeter-tasting, riper fruit flavors than Cabernets from other classic regions. The tannins are often high and finely-grained, though they can be softer or more astringent, depending on grape ripeness and wine age. There is always some level of oak aging that you’ll be able to taste in the wines, whether subtle or overt in its vanilla, cedar and cinnamon flavors. Cabernet’s “green” note isn’t always evident in American Cabernet Sauvignon wines; it really depends on the vintage and where the grapes are grown. Cooler sites with more fog cover, elevation and/or ocean breezes tend to show more herbaceous, green aromas and flavors like eucalyptus, bay leaf and rosemary.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Cabernet Sauvignon, preferably 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from any American wine region or state
#3: Australian Cabernet Sauvignon
Australian red wine is synonymous with Shiraz, but Cabernet Sauvignon has been down under for just as long…just not always as successfully over its nearly 200 years of history. It took some time to find out where the best growing sites were for this vigorous, yet finicky, grape. That work has long since been done, and there are plenty of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon wines to be found in Australia, along with the country’s famed Shiraz-Cabernet and other red blends.
Two Australian wine regions that are known for producing some of the country’s best Cabernet Sauvignon wines - either 100% or predominantly Cabernet - are Margaret River or Coonawarra, though Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be found in many parts of Australia.
Margaret River is all the way over on Australia’s southwest coast, south of Perth. It’s a region surrounded by water, with the Indian and Southern Ocean meeting around its coastline, and the eponymous river running through it. The maritime climate cools what would otherwise be a warm region, and a consistently dry growing season gives winemakers plenty of time to allow their Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to become fully ripe on the vine. The result is ripe wines with soft tannins and concentrated, almost-sweet dark fruit, but with moderate alcohol levels, plenty of acidity, clear new oak influence and a gently herbal note that can show up as sage, eucalyptus or mint. Many Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon wines are Bordeaux-style blends, often with some Merlot in the mix, much like in Bordeaux’s Left Bank.
Coonawarra is in South Australia, all the way over in the southeast corner in an area known as the Limestone Coast Zone, near the Southern Ocean, between Melbourne and Adelaide (though not all that close to either city). It’s a remote, mostly flat region known for its terra rossa soil, which is exactly as the name implies: visibly reddish, iron-oxide rich topsoil atop a limestone base. One of my professors in my MBA in wine & spirits program in France once described Coonawarra as “the only ugly wine region I’ve ever visited,” though he still highly recommended the wines. It’s hard not to. These Cabernets tend to be more powerful and intense than those from Margaret River, with soft, ripe tannins, full bodies, dark fruit flavors like blackcurrant, plum and blackberry, clear oak aging influence and subtly herbal flavors like dried tobacco leaves and mint.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Cabernet Sauvignon, ideally 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from any Australian wine region
#4: Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon wines generally aren’t known for offering great value. They are often both expensive to produce and highly in demand…two factors that inevitably drive up prices. Chilean Cabernet Sauvignons, on the other hand, can offer incredible value for money, mostly thanks to factors like lower production and land costs, large-scale operations and consistent vintages, allowing producers to generally rely on favorable weather, year after year.
Chile is known for producing ripe, fruity red wines with distinctly high acidity and herbal, often minty aromas. Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception to this generalization. Much like in California, Chile’s wine regions are heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean and mountains: in this case, the Andes Mountains and the extra-cool Humboldt Current. There are inland regions where lower elevation valleys stay warm thanks to mountain ranges that block the ocean’s strongest influences, and there are high-elevation sites with cool air from either the Andes, ocean fog and breezes or both. In this long, coastal country, wine grapes tend to have long, sunny growing seasons with cooling influences that create wines with a combination of ripe, sweet-tasting fruit and bright, fresh acidity.
Chile’s best-known regions for Cabernet Sauvignon include the Maipo Valley and Rapel Valley, though Cabernets can be found in many other parts of the country. Chile’s Cabernets are known for being vibrant and lively, with just-ripe tannins, ripe blackcurrant fruit flavors, clear oak influence, and herbal aromas like mint, eucalyptus and tomato leaf.
What to ask for: Ask by style name
Alternative(s): Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon
#5: Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon wines in Italy - usually from Tuscany - are known as Super Tuscans. “Super Tuscan” doesn’t sound very Italian though, does it? That’s because it’s a phrase created by an American wine writer in the early 80s to define a then brand-new category of wines made with French grape varieties and techniques, usually from Bordeaux, but in Tuscany. These top quality wines fell outside the Italian DOC system, so at first, they were labeled with the least prestigious appellation category: Vino da Tavola.
These wines had been produced for a decade before the Super Tuscan name was coined, specifically starting with a single wine: Sassicaia, quickly followed by other now-icons: Ornellaia, Tignanello, Solaia, Le Macchiole and Masseto.
Luckily, you don’t have to splash out for a Super Tuscan icon wine to get the experience. There are now a plethora of Tuscan wines made with French grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. New DOCs have even been created that legally require French grapes in the blends in Bolgheri and Maremma.
You will have to do a bit of work to ensure your wine is predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon, though. Most Super Tuscans’ labels include the grape varieties and their percentages on the back label, so take a look when selecting your wine for this tasting.
Cabernet Sauvignon-predominant Super Tuscans tend to showcase warm climate characteristics like ripe, concentrated dark fruit, but they still have a distinctly European sensibility, with fresh acidity, ripe tannins, herbaceous aromas and a generally savory style common in European wines.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Bolgheri Rosso, Bolgheri Rosso Superiore, Maremma Toscana, IGT Toscana, IGT Costa Toscana
#6: South African Cabernet Sauvignon
South Africa has struggled to regain its footing and reputation in the global wine world thanks to Apartheid, which ended in 1990. During Apartheid, South African winemakers struggled not only to find an export market for their wines, but also to connect and collaborate with winemakers in other regions, a common practice in the industry that keeps improvements and innovations moving forward all around the world. In the 35 years since though, South African wines have only gotten better and better, now representing not just good value, but distinctive style that appeals to both more savory European and more fruit-forward “New World” sensibilities. South Africa’s winemakers deftly straddle the line between the two.
While South Africa is known for its signature Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes are actually more heavily planted throughout the country’s wine regions. There are traditional Bordeaux blends from regions like Stellenbosch and Paarl, often made predominantly with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and there are Red Cape blends, in which Pinotage and Rhône varieties are added to the Bordeaux set. You won’t often find 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines here, so take a look at the back labels or talk to your local retailer as you look for predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends.
These wines tend to be full-bodied and powerful, but also savory, even earthy, with concentrated dark fruit, subtle oak influence, sometimes grainy tannins and often clearly herbal aromas that can sometimes come across as “grassy,” though they’re often described by locals as smelling like fynbos, a type of vegetation unique to the Cape that includes a wide variety of heather-like trees and shrubs. I haven’t (yet) had the opportunity to visit South Africa myself to experience this scent and decide if I agree, so please share your own impressions in the comments if you have.
What to ask for: Ask by style name
Alternative(s): Stick with a South African Cabernet Sauvignon, ideally predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, since many are red blends.
Tasting tips
The eats
Cabernet Sauvignon’s go-to pairing, at least in the United States, is steak. Visit any American steakhouse and there will be a wide range of Cabernets on the wine list. Some have pages upon pages chock-full of the world’s top Cabernets, Cabernet-based blends and other full-bodied reds. The reasoning is sound: Cabernet Sauvignon wines are very dry, savory, full-bodied wines with plenty of tannin, sometimes even with aggressive amounts that scrape your gums and cheeks with each sip, making it feel like it’s almost difficult to fold your lips back down over your sticky gums. The foods that pair best with Cabernet Sauvignon wines are equally bold and herbaceous, with rich, fatty textures that soften the tannic grip, wiping the slate clean with each bite.
All things beef-related, but also bacon, lamb, peppercorn salami, duck with plenty of drippings or even umami-forward vegetables like mushrooms or eggplants, ideally grilled or pan-fried to get that smoky caramelization from the Maillard reaction, all work beautifully.
As it’s late October while writing this, it’s fully soup and stew season in Copenhagen where I live, so this tasting will be an opportunity to bust out all of my favorite ugly-delicious dishes like braised short ribs that slow-simmer in our big enameled cast iron Kockums pot that we gratefully inherited, the Swedish equivalent to Le Creuset.
Charcuterie-wise, smoked and peppery meats are ideal, along with briny olives and peppery, garlicky or herby crackers and breads. Aged, hard cheeses with nutty crystals like Pecorino, Grana Padano and Gouda stand up beautifully, though smoky cheeses like smoked cheddar, especially aged, act like echos of the dried herbs and sometimes smoky flavors in the wines. Dried fruit, fresh berries, nuts, honey and jams can also add the brightness and acidity you might crave when diving into all things savory, peppery and smoky.
The prep
Given that Cabernet Sauvignon is so widely planted globally, these wines shouldn’t be difficult to find, wherever you live. Still, it might take some time for your guests to decide how much they want to spend and to select a particular wine, so it’s a good idea to give them at least two weeks to find their wines before gathering for this tasting.
There is a wide (actually, a massive) range of prices for all of these wines, though in general, they’re not cheap. Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be some of the priciest in the world, and the production costs can be extremely high as well. Cabernets can also be quite affordable, especially from regions like the Maipo Valley, Chile or Stellenbosch, South Africa, where some of the best value Cabernets are made. Knowing this, it’s up to you as the host to decide if you want to set a spending range or let your guests determine what they’re each comfortable spending.
I know it feels strange to chill big, bold red wines, but these Cabernets will taste best with just a little bit of coolness to them. Imagine that you are grabbing these bottles straight from a fancy cellar where the air feels brisk and damp. If you live somewhere where it’s cold already, the time in the trunk on the drive over might just be enough.
It’s worth noting that in some parts of the world, particularly Australia, screw caps can take the place of corks. In others, like France and the United States, wines with screw caps are often seen as being cheaper or poorer quality. Please ignore that stereotype. It’s simply not true, and there are many excellent wines bottled with screw caps.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first. If you have fewer than 6 wines/guests, you’ll still have a well-rounded experience. However, the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines are included, is recommended as follows:
Left Bank Bordeaux
South African Cabernet Sauvignon
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon
Australian Cabernet Sauvignon
American Cabernet Sauvignon
