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One of the so-called international varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most commonly grown red wine grape in the world. It can be found in many wine regions.
Cabernet Sauvignon is known to give serious red wines which gain splendor and subtlety with aging.
Its thick skin results in wines with high tannins. While this provides strong structure and ageability, many vintners choose to blend it with low-tannin, fleshy-tasting grapes, such as Merlot in Bordeaux or Syrah in Australia. Cabernet Franc often joins the blend to add aromatics.
edit Aromas
In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon produces aromas of blackcurrant, violets, cedar and spice. These aromas can also be found in the New World, but are more often dominated by chocolate, ripe berries, oak, pepper and earth. In Australia, there is often a strong smell of eucalyptus, particularly in wines from Coonawarra. Warm climates generally give aromas of blackcurrant and cherries, while cooler regions often reveal greener, more herbacious notes.
Each region and winemaking technique can bring its own aroma to Cabernet Sauvignon, but it will always be unmistakingly recognized at first taste by wine lovers.
edit Regions
This so-called "noble grape" is famous as one of the main varieties used to create the magnificent red wines of Bordeaux, along with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and others.
Outside of France, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys much success in California and Australia. During the last decades it has spread to Chile, Italy and New Zealand.
Although recorded as present in the Bordeaux region since at least the 17th century, parental provenance has always been unsure. Recent research has discovered that the original parents of this variety were Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
edit Viticulture
A "hard" grape, Cabernet Sauvignon helps make wines of classic breed, intensity and complexity that often need to bottle-age for at least 5-10 years in order to reach peak flavor condition.
The vine is quite cold-hardy, although it acclimates slowly and can be injured by cold winter freezes. It has a late bud break, is relatively resistant to cracking and bunch rots, and has vigorous growth.
edit Other names
- Bidure
- Burdeos Tinto
- Bordeaux
- Bordo
- Bouchet
- Breton
- Cabernet Petit
- Carbouet
- Carmenet
- Castet
- Kaberne Sovinjon
- Lafet
- Lafite
- Marchoupet
- Navarre
- Petit Bouchet
- Petit Cabernet
- Petite Parde
- Petite Vidure
- Sauvignon Rouge
- Sauvignonne
- Vaucluse
- Veron
- Vidure Sauvignonne
