Cabernet Sauvignon, the Grape of the Masters

30 August is International Cabernet Sauvignon Day.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous and widely grown red varieties in the world. Originating in the Bordeaux region of France, it’s prized for its ability to produce full-bodied, complex red wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are characterised by their thick skin, which gives them a deep colour and a high concentration of tannins. Wines from this variety often have aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry, tobacco, mint and sometimes herbaceous notes. The pronounced tannins make Cabernet Sauvignon wines well suited to ageing in oak barrels and in bottle.

Cabernet Sauvignon is often used in blends with other varieties, notably Merlot, to create balanced wines. Outside Bordeaux, it’s widely planted in California, Australia, Chile and many other wine regions.

All in all, Cabernet Sauvignon is prized for its robust structure, its aromatic complexity and its ability to produce quality wines that can age well.

Cabernet Sauvignon arrived in France several centuries ago. It’s generally reckoned that this variety originates in the Bordeaux region, though its exact origin is open to debate. The first historical mentions of Cabernet Sauvignon go back to the 18th century in France.

The botanist Jean-Baptiste de Secondat, in his Mémoire sur la culture des vignes de Guyenne (published in 1785), mentions the vidure or bidure as a “hard vine”. But that same year, the intendant of Guyenne, Nicolas Dupré de Saint-Maur, speaks of this same variety as “petit cabernet sauvignon”. That’s the earliest known trace of the term being used.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, hence its name. This cross could have occurred naturally, but it’s also possible it was intentionally created by winegrowers to combine the qualities of the two varieties.

Whatever its precise origin, Cabernet Sauvignon has since won worldwide recognition for the quality of the wines it produces, and it’s now widely grown in many wine regions across the globe.

Cabernet Sauvignon is widely grown in many countries around the world thanks to its popularity and its ability to adapt to different climates and terroirs. Here are some of the countries best known for their Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines:

1. France: Cabernet Sauvignon is a key component of Bordeaux’s red wines, particularly in the regions of Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien and Saint-Estèphe. It’s also grown in the Loire Valley region.
2. United States: California, and Napa Valley in particular, is famous for its high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Sonoma and Paso Robles regions also produce excellent examples of this variety.
3. Australia: Cabernet Sauvignon is grown mainly in South Australia, notably in the Coonawarra region. Penfolds Grange is one of the emblematic wines of this region.
4. Chile: Cabernet Sauvignon is widely grown in central Chile, notably in the Maipo Valley. The country is renowned for its full-bodied, fruity Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
5. Argentina: The variety is grown in the Mendoza wine region, where it gives rise to powerful, expressive wines.
6. Italy: Though less common, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in Italy, mainly in northern regions such as Tuscany and Friuli.
7. South Africa: The wine regions of Stellenbosch and Paarl in South Africa also produce quality Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
8. Spain: Some Spanish regions, such as Catalonia, also produce Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines.

There are several emblematic wines produced from Cabernet Sauvignon around the world. Here are the most famous:

• France:

1. Château Lafite Rothschild (Bordeaux)
2. Château Margaux (Bordeaux)
3. Château Mouton Rothschild (Bordeaux)
4. Château Latour (Bordeaux)

• United States:

1. Opus One (Napa Valley, California)
2. Screaming Eagle (Napa Valley, California)
3. Caymus Vineyards (Napa Valley, California)
4. Silver Oak Cellars (Napa Valley and Alexander Valley, California)

• Australia:

1. Penfolds Grange (South Australia)
2. Wynns Coonawarra Estate (Coonawarra, South Australia)
3. Henschke Hill of Grace (Barossa Valley, South Australia)
4. Moss Wood (Margaret River, Western Australia)

• Chile:

1. Almaviva (Central region)
2. Concha y Toro Don Melchor (Maipo Valley)
3. Montes Alpha (Colchagua Valley)
4. Lapostolle Clos Apalta (Colchagua Valley)

• Argentina:

1. Bodega Catena Zapata (Mendoza)
2. Achaval-Ferrer (Mendoza)
3. Viña Cobos Bramare (Mendoza)
4. Bodega Norton (Mendoza)

• Italy:

1. Sassicaia (Tuscany)
2. Ornellaia (Tuscany)
3. Antinori Tignanello (Tuscany)

• South Africa:

1. Kanonkop (Stellenbosch)
2. Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch)
3. Meerlust (Stellenbosch)

• Spain:

1. Torres Mas La Plana (Catalonia)
2. Vega Sicilia Unico (Ribera del Duero)
3. Pago de Carraovejas (Ribera del Duero)