Cabernet Sauvignon Wine

Cabernet Sauvignon is perhaps the most well known wine variety in the world, certainly among the reds. It is now also known, thanks to the wonders of DNA testing, that Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of a fortuitous cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that occurred in Bordeaux sometime in the 17^th century. From Bordeaux this great red has spread to all corners of the wine growing world, throughout France, across to Tuscany, into California, and of course into the many wine regions of Australia.

A major characteristic of this grape variety is that it is a late ripener that is sensitive to the degree of warmth it receives at this time. Too cool or too warm and you are likely to end up with flavours that are less than ideal. However, Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively resistance to most diseases, excepting powdery mildew. Another significant characteristic of Cabernet Sauvignon is its liking for oak, with barrel aging greatly softening this grape's high tannin content.

Cabernet Sauvignon is recognised around the world, either on its own or when blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. And in fact, up until the 1990s, Cabernet Sauvignon was the most planted red grape in the world until being overtaken by Merlot. However, this does not mean that Cabernet Sauvignon has an ancient lineage such as the Barbera and other grapes can claim. Actually, its origins in the 17^th century make it a relatively young grape variety. Although, until confirmed by DNA research, many had claimed a very ancient origin for Cabernet Sauvignon; one stretching back to Roman times.

In its place of origin, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is very often blended with Cabernet Franc and Merlot, but at first it seems to have been more often blended with Shiraz (or Syrah as the French and Californians would have it). Though nowadays such blending of Cabernet Sauvignon with Shiraz is something that traditional French winemakers avoid, considering that a Bordeaux grape such as Cabernet Sauvignon and one from the Rhône – Shiraz - should not be mixed. Australian winemakers have no such prejudice and regularly blend these two wines, with Yalumba's Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz being one of many fine examples of the results; while Yalumba's Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend - The Reserve - won the ‘Frescobaldi Trophy’ at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London for ‘The Best Red Wine’ two years in a row.

The wide diversity of wine regions in Australia has meant that there has also arisen much diversity in the styles of Cabernet Sauvignon being produced. This is largely along the lines of wines requiring some cellaring coming from the cool-climate wine regions, while more accessible wines that can be drunk quickly derive from the warmer wine regions.

It was perhaps the Coonawarra wine region of South Australia that first began producing world class Cabernet Sauvignons in the 1970s and these were soon followed by those of the Margaret River wine region in West Australia. Nowadays Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz compete as the two most planted red wine grapes in Australia.

The Penfolds Bin 707 is generally considered to be the standard setter when it comes to Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. The Bin 707 is a multi region blend created from the best wines Penfolds can source. Produced since the 1960s, this great Cabernet Sauvignon has continued to be a favourite, respected both in Australia and internationally. A standard maintained by Penfolds when they refuse to issue a vintage in any year where they consider the Cabernet Sauvignon does not meet the necessary quality. In more recent times Penfolds has generally sourced its Cabernet Sauvignon from the South Australian wine regions of Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley.

Another great Cabernet Sauvignon is the Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon produced by Petaluma Coonawarra Vines. Nearly 400 kms south of Adelaide, the mild maritime climate region of Coonawarra is capable of producing the worlds best Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1979, Petaluma Coonawarra made the decision to change the traditional Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend to a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot one. The result was the now famous  Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, generally a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, although this various from vintage to vintage.

In Australia itself a significant trend appears to be a lessening of the general popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon in favour of Shiraz. Only time will tell is this change in tastes is maintained. More globally, Australia’s influence has been felt in a very different way through the famous, or some would say infamous, Australian flying winemakers who have had a great impact on how wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon are produced in many parts of the Old World, in particular Languedoc. These winemakers, who leave Australia during the off season to bring modern techniques to traditional wineries, have added greatly to productivity and consistency, though perhaps at the expensive on occasion of individuality and native style.

This global popularity contributed to by the flying winemakers has seen Cabernet Sauvignon criticised as a ‘coloniser’, as local grapes have on occasion been dismissed in favour of something that can be easily exported. The Bulgarian wine industry has taken this course, while that of Portugal has bravely set itself against Cabernet Sauvignon in favour of it native grapes. But more and more winemakers are finding ways to compliment their native grape varieties with Cabernet as a blending component. The best example of this being the so called ‘Super Tuscans’, created when Italian winemakers began blending Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese.

Whatever the future in wine tastes and fashions, and whether as a single varietal or in an increasing diversity of blends, Cabernet Sauvignon will undoubtedly continue to be a wine of consequence on the world stage.