This month’s grape is the true classic, the original red wine grape, hailing from Bordeaux (where else!), on the left bank of the Gironde. If you recall last October’s grape, Merlot, you’ll remember that Merlot based wines are grown on the right bank of the Gironde.

Cabernet Sauvignon was probably a first introduction to red wine for many of us. So many wine producers around the world choose to grow Cabernet Sauvignon because it is such a hearty grape, and produces such robust, complex wines. Who can resist? We can’t!

I often think that Cabernet Sauvignon is to red wine what Chardonnay is to white wine. It is very prevalent, grown in many different regions around the world. It is not grown as extensively as Chardonnay because it is a bit more difficult to ripen. But when Cabernet is grown in the right circumstances, the wines produced can be marvelous. You will find these wines to be dark and inky, with good tannins and relatively high acidity. These characteristics allow these wines to be some of the best aging wines in the world. You’ll find aromas of blackberries and currants, and the fruit will be strong and intense. Other giveaway notes are aromas of herbs, grass and vegetables, particularly bell peppers. Cabernet Sauvignons from California and Australia will also have a distinct mint or eucalyptus scent.

Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon tends to be lighter in style than those from California or Australia. When matching Cabernet Sauvignon with food, you are going to want to match the lighter styles with less intense dishes. Try Bordeaux with salmon with a red wine reduction, or Tuna with olives or capers. Bordeaux will also match nicely with veal, chicken or even duck. When matching with the denser, more new-world style wines from California, Washington, or Australia, try dishes like beef brisket, grilled steaks, lamb, pork and hard sharp cheeses or bleu cheeses.

Where the Grape is Harvested

Bordeaux: You should understand that when looking for Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux, the wines are almost always blended with the partnering grapes Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and/or Petit Verdot. Therefore when looking for a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Bordeaux, you have to look for particular appellations. The best ones are Graves, St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien, Margaux, Haut-Medoc, and Medoc.

Cabernet Sauvignon is also grown elsewhere in France, particularly in the southwest in villages such as Bergerac, Madiran and Languedoc. You will find it grown in small amounts in Provence as well, although here, the wines are blended with Syrah. In Loire, it is blended with Cabernet Franc.

California: Because of the warm, sunny climate, these wines are the densest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, and there is a lot of it grown here. Beware that some bottlings can be overly alcoholic. You will also find a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon blends from California, so don’t be surprised.

Australia: These tend to be extremely dense, with candied over-the-top fruit and minty, eucalyptus tones. Look for wines from Coonawarra. Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with Shiraz, which makes for very unique wines indeed.

New Zealand: Because of the cooler climate, these wines tend to be quite light in body and can be overly acidic.

Italy: Some fantastic examples come from Tuscan coast, so look for wines from Bolgheri. These wines will often be blended with Merlot and/or Sangiovese.

South Africa: These wines are deeper, richer, with blackcurrant aromas and flavors, but do carry a fairly high acidity level.

Other Regions: Look for bottlings from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Chile, Argentina and Lebanon (specifically Chateau Musar).

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