At less than 600 years old, many people might be surprised to learn that Cabernet Sauvignon is more of a new comer to the world of wine in comparison to its Muscat or Pinot Noir contemporaries. However, despite its youth, Cabernet Sauvignon has quickly earned itself the reputation as the ‘king’ of red wine grapes and continues to be grown in nearly every major wine producing country.
There seems to be a little controversy regarding the origins of the grape with some believing it hails from the Rioja region of Spain and others firm in the belief that it originates from the popular Bordeaux region of France. With such strong claims on the grape from both countries, it seemed inevitable that modern science would one day be brought in to settle the argument and a DNA typing test performed in the 1990s confirmed that it was more likely to be the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, crossbred in the 17th century.
Whilst the Cabernet Sauvignon seems to adapt well to many of the climates in which it is nurtured, it undoubtedly thrives in warmer climates and temperature is an important element in determining when it can be harvested. Californian vineyards rarely seem to struggle with ripening thanks to their abundance of sunshine but regions such as Bordeaux, who are vulnerable to more unpredictable summers, have occasionally harvested the grape earlier than would be ideal and then blended with other grapes to compensate. One of the greatest advantages of the Cabernet Sauvignon is that the vine doesn’t seem to be overly effected by the types of soil in which it grows i.e. clay, limestone, alluvial and gravel based soils have all produced successful harvests and this versatility makes it a clear ‘all-rounder’.
The grape lends itself well to blending which allows a certain level of artistic freedom for any winemaker. Blending with the Shiraz, Tempranillo and Sangiovese seem to be popular combinations whilst the Bordeaux tradition tends to favour a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and occasionally Malbec, Petit Verdot or Carmenere. Some winemakers prefer not to blend the grape but rather, allow it to ‘oak age’ which has proven very popular with the consumers. Whether at fermentation or barrel aging, it seems that the Cabernet Sauvignon has a rich affinity for oak and the unique wood flavours complement well – and meticulous winemakers will be particularly fussy about where they source their oak from as the different origins can have a ‘pronounced’ influence on the final results.
Naturally, the Bordeaux region of France is widely associated with the Cabernet Sauvignon producing more than 60% of the country’s harvest, however, the Loire Valley, Le Midi and Bergerac are all competent producers. Outside of France, Italy also has a strong reputation for growing the grape; it was first introduced to the Piedmont region in 1820 but gained a level of notoriety in twentieth century Tuscany. The Rioja region of Spain, Mosel in Germany and many Eastern European countries such as Slovenia, Romania and the Ukraine, all have successful Cabernet Sauvignon areas. Argentina, Peru and Uruguay in South America and the Margaret River region, Barossa Valley and Yarra Valley in Australia have all cultivated highly successful wines.
Despite France’s claim as being the ‘original’ cultivators of the Cabernet Sauvignon, there have certainly been several challenges (some rather successfully) in becoming the favourite producers. The Californian ‘Stags Leap Wine Cellars’ Cabernet Sauvignon outshone the traditional Bordeaux producers in a 1973 blind tasting test conducted by French wine experts. The Napa Valley and Sonoma’s Alexander Valley are very prominent producers, again this in part lies with the various oaks used to ferment or store the wine in.
To the untrained taste buds, Cabernet Sauvignon tends to possess rich, oaky flavours, perhaps with the occasional hint of vanilla that occurs from the ripened grape. However, for anyone who knows a thing or two about ‘pyrazines’, (a “heterocyclic aromatic organic compound”!), then the Cabernet Sauvignon tends to exhibit green bell pepper and vegetal flavours when the grape is under-ripe, and sweeter, fruitier flavours such as blackcurrant when harvested over-ripe. It should also be noted that the flavours can vary greatly when the wine is aged, and the Cabernet Sauvignon has a strong reputation of developing well the longer it stays in the bottle. It is not unheard of to hear an aged Cabernet Sauvignon described as having green herbal flavours, or scents of cigar boxes and wood shavings.
Of course, one of the best ways to form an opinion on any wine is to try it for yourself, and as an accompaniment to food, the Cabernet Sauvignon tends to work very well with red meats, particularly lamb where the fats negate some of the more bitter tannins. Try it with a good steak, mushrooms or even with a bitter dark chocolate to fully appreciate why this grape so deservedly holds its reputation as ‘the king’.
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