Grape Varietals / Wine Basics

Wine Baby’s Guide to: Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon’s balance between power and elegance has made it one of the world’s most popular wines.

It’s a thick-skinned small little grape, which makes it one of the most tannic red varietals out there. But those tannins are balanced wonderfully with equally high acidity, despite it being a warm-climate-loving grape.

The result is an extremely structured wine, with powerful fruit flavours. A perfect framework for some truly age-worthy wines.

Alright, let’s walk our way through what this powerhouse has going on in the glass.

TASTING CABERNET SAUVIGNON

You can find bottles that are single varietal from across the globe, but it is also a very popular grape as the foundation for many world-renowned blends.

For the purposes of getting to know a grape, I’d suggest seeking out bottles that are purely Cabernet Sauvignon first, and then branch out into the blends later to see how the other grape varietals soften the tannins of the Cab Sauv.

Look

Because of the thick and intensely coloured skins of this grape, the resulting wine will also appear deep and rich in colour. The exact colour will range depending on it’s age, developing more tawny brown tones the older it gets.

Nose

There are several highly-recognizable aromas associated with Cabernet Sauvignon that you can look for.

The first is the powerful presence of black fruit. Blackcurrant and cassis specifically, but also blackberry, black cherry, black plum, and figs. The vibe that I get from the fruit aromas is dark, meaty, and sweet.

The second is green herbal and herbaceous notes. These will be more obvious in an under-ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. On the lighter end of the spectrum it will appear as a light sprinkling of fresh mint, but it can be more obvious, like green bell peppers. Hopefully you don’t end up with a wine that smells of canned asparagus, because those grapes were likely unripe.

These smells come from chemical compounds called pyrazines, which are also responsible for the same herbaceous notes in Sauvignon Blanc. Did you know that Sauvignon Blanc is the mother of Cabernet Sauvignon? It’s the result of a summer tryst with Cabernet Franc.

The third most commonly noted aroma to look out for is cedar. Cabernet Sauvignon is typically aged in oak barrels to help soften the young tannins, and this frequently shows up as cedar, but you also might get sandalwood, tobacco, cigars, and leather.

Additional notes you might find include pepper, baking spices, chocolate, liquorice, or graphite.

Palate

The tannins are typically the first thing that’s going to hit you when this wine touches your palate. But if it’s a quality bottle, they shouldn’t be overwhelmingly aggressive. Although powerful, they should be balanced by the acidity.

I tasted an amazing bottle last night and I’d describe the sensation like this:

While I swirled the wine around my mouth, I didn’t find that either the tannins or the acidity really stood out. But when I swallowed my sip, I felt that familiar grippy sensation on the sides of my tongue and gums that signals high tannins, immediately followed by the mouth-watering effect of the acidity. If you’re not paying attention, you can miss those two little moments, and they just blend together to create a sense of balance. That’s a good wine.

The alcohol can be medium to high. Fortunately, a well-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon can stand up to a higher alcohol content. My example above was 15% and I barely noticed it.

The outcome of all of these elements is a full-bodied, robust, and dry red wine that’s perfect for pairing.

PAIRING CABERNET SAUVIGNON

For a big wine, you’ll want a big meal. Grilled steak is the classic choice, but other grilled meats are suitable as well, or anything rich and flavourful. The acidity and tannins will help cut through the fattiness of a heavy meal.

SHOPPING FOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cabernet Sauvignon’s home is Bordeaux, France. Although Bordeaux has a moderate climate, the sites on the the Left Bank are warmer and more suitable for Cab Sauv because of their gravel and stone soils. The rocks heat up from the sunshine during the day, and the warmth gets stored overnight to keep the vines warm.

The weather there is variable though, and it’s not often an ideal season for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. As a result, most of the wines coming out of this region are a blend, and not single varietal.

A Bordeaux blend usually involves some combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot.

Head to the warmer regions in the South of France if you want to find a single varietal bottle.

There are lots of other popular Cab Sauv blends throughout the world as well. In Chile, it is frequently blended with Carmenere. In South Africa, a “Cape Blend” consists of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinotage. And in Australia and New Zealand it is commonly blended with Merlot as well.

The United States offers a wide range of both blends and single varietal wines. Napa Valley, in particular, is famous for it’s Cabernet Sauvignons. Just be aware that a single varietal bottle from here can contain small amounts of other grapes as well, which won’t be listed on the label.

Looking for some recommendations? Check these out:

• Review: 2015 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

So are you a purist, or do you favour one of the blended styles? Let me know in the comments!