10 Essential Facts on Cabernet Sauvignon

The illustrious Twentieth Century California winemaker André Tchelistcheff once said, “God made Cabernet Sauvignon , whereas the Devil made Pinot Noir .” Today, we’re dealing with the more heavenly creation, or at least the less finicky in the vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon, or simply Cabernet or “Cab,” is the most planted wine grape variety, and it serves as the backbone to several of the world’s most collectible bottles, from Bordeaux to Bolgheri to the Napa Valley . Here are the ten essential facts you should learn to master Cabernet Sauvignon. 1. According to the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most planted wine grape variety, slowly surpassing Spain’s Airén in total acreage over the last couple of decades. Cabernet’s reach extends to nearly every winegrowing country warm enough to ripen it from Malta to Mexico , Israel to India. 2. A 1996 study at the University of California, Davis performed by Carole Meredith revealed Cabernet Sauvignon to be the child of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc , a crossing that likely transpired somewhere near Bordeaux before the mid-Eighteenth Century. This was the first major discovery in the field of grape parentage, and a surprising one considering Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape that gave birth to a red offspring. Subsequent research has revealed Cabernet Sauvignon to also be a half-sibling to Merlot . 3. If Cabernet Sauvignon were to be summed up in a single word, it might be “structure.” Due to its small berries and thick skins, Cabernet yields some of the most concentrated and long lived wines of any classic grape variety. The key to their longevity? Tannins . Cabernet Sauvignon is notoriously tannic, causing many of these wines to come across as austere in their youth. Tannins also have the ability to bind with proteins, which is one of the reasons Cabernet Sauvignon tastes so magical with steak. 4. Cabernet Sauvignon’s most classic expression is found in its birthplace of Bordeaux. Interestingly, Bordeaux grows more than twice the amount of Merlot as it does Cabernet, the latter occupying approximately 22.5% of Bordeaux’s vineyard space for red varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most important grape in the wines of Bordeaux’s Left Bank. . It is also the dominant grape in Bordeaux’s coveted First Growth wines, with the exception of Château Haut-Brion, which cultivates slightly more Merlot. 5. While Cabernet Sauvignon may be bottled as a varietal wine, in Bordeaux’s Right Bank it is traditionally blended with a combination of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec , and Petit Verdot . Merlot and Malbec add juicier fruit flavors, Cabernet Franc contributes a spicy earthiness, and Petit Verdot further solidifies structure. This formula has been replicated across the globe, and you may encounter wines labeled “ Meritage ” to signify a blend of this sort. 6. While Cabernet Sauvignon traditionally fraternizes with the other Bordeaux varieties, several winegrowing regions choose to blend Cabernet with their local specialties. In Tuscany , several blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese achieve cult status, and in Australia you’ll commonly find Cabernet – Shiraz wines. In Spain’s Ribera del Duero , Cabernet Sauvignon is often added to Tempranillo ever since Vega Sicilia first introduced French grapes to the area in the mid-Nineteenth Century. 7. Cabernet Sauvignon’s most famous wines outside Bordeaux, however, likely come from California’s Napa Valley. Cabernet trails Chardonnay to become California’s second most planted variety, but in the Napa Valley Cabernet earns the top spot with nearly half the region’s vineyard acreage dedicated to the grape. Napa Valley Cabernet counts among the most expensive fruit in the world. In 2016, the average ton of Napa Cabernet cost $6,829, although the Valley’s priciest Cabernet grapes cost a whopping $59,375 per ton. 8. In the 1976 “Judgment of Paris,” a flight of top Bordeaux wines was presented blind alongside a selection of California Cabernets to a panel of French judges. The winning wine? The 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. 9. Cabernet’s next great home? China has established itself as one of Bordeaux’s most important markets, but China’s total plantings of Cabernet are expected to surpass those of the French region. In 2016, China’s “first luxury wine” to reach American shores came in the form of Ao Yun, a $300 Cabernet Sauvignon blend from luxury conglomerate LVMH. 10. Why does your Cabernet smell like bell peppers? You can thank “methoxypyrazines” (or simply “pyrazines”) for that common descriptor. Cabernet Sauvignon is beaming with this flavor compound, as are its parents Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. While such vegetal flavors diminish with ripeness and sun exposure, they’re considered a trademark of Cabernet Sauvignon, and often a welcome one at that. — Bryce Wiatrak Have you enjoyed a glass of Cab recently? We want to see what you’re drinking! Scan the label or search by name to add your tasting notes on Delectable.