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A Guide For Cabernet Sauvignon

Marie Gabrielle

Posted on July 20 2021

In southwestern France in the seventeenth century, an unintentional cross between a red Cabernet Franc grape plant and a white Sauvignon Blanc grape plant resulted in Cabernet Sauvignon, the most renowned grape among American wine enthusiasts.

What Is Cabernet Sauvignon?

One of the most popular wines is Cabernet Sauvignon, a red wine grape varietals in the world. It's a red grape variety recognized for its thick, hardy skin and vine's ability to withstand the environment. After the grape's creation, the variety began to be adopted in regions of France by winemakers looking for more robust and easy-to-grow vines. 

Cabernet can be found growing in almost every wine production globally, from Washington State to the Yarra Valley in Australia. When it comes to Cabernet in the Old world, particularly in the Left Bank, Bordeaux is the most well-known region for Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the development of the Super Tuscan, Tuscany has become another major Old World participant in the grape variety. 

Bordeaux producers favored the grape's low tannin content, which allowed the wine to age gracefully in the bottle for years. They also discovered that it responded exceptionally well to time spent in wood, which brings new fascinating flavors. Its outcome was a moderate level of acidity-filled wine that was perfect for partnering with food. They began combining the varietal with other grapes, including Merlot, and eventually developed the world's greatest wine mixture: the Bordeaux mix.

What Does Cabernet Sauvignon Taste Like?

Cabernet creates full-bodied wines with robust tannins and prominent acidity in its most classic flavor profile, all of which contribute to the wine's amazing capacity to age, which causes your mouth to dry out when you drink it. Many Cabernet drinkers claim to detect green pepper, tobacco, cassis, and dark fruits like cherries, as well as a trace of vanilla from the wine's oak aging. Cooler-climate Cabernet will have mild mint and green pepper flavors that will become more evident with age.

The Differences Between Merlot And Cabernet

Merlot and Cabernet are the two well-known red wines in the United States, but most people aren't sure of the difference between each or why they should prefer one over another. 

Sure, both of these wines pair well with food, particularly meat, but they each have their own set of qualities and differences that make them ideal for blending. Similar to the production of Bordeaux, the drink is delicious because their characteristics complement one another.

There are reasons to appreciate Merlot and Cabernet, but asking a winemaker in Bordeaux will help a lot; they'll tell you that they favor one over the other, typically depending on where they harvest their grapes.

Merlot is the softer and more flexible of the two grape varieties. It's generally described as juicy, with chocolate and cherry flavors, and it's a fantastic pairing with a cheeseburger or steak fries. Merlot is more of a crowd-pleasing wine because of these qualities, and when its grape is blended, the wine's delicate fruit flavors make it taste fantastic.

On the other hand, Cabernet is the older and more assertive sibling. The grape is significantly more tannic, which means it will dry out your mouth, and it's generally described as a strong "backbone," which is another way of saying it's substantial and powerful, able to stand up to rich foods like braised short ribs.

No one grape is better than the other; they are all different, but what makes them special makes them delicious and renowned.

Because of Cabernet acidity, alcohol, and tannins, it should be paired with food when drinking. There are no rules when it comes to drinking wine with food. It is your option if you would like to pair your wine with the food you want to eat. However, it can be overwhelming if Cabernet wine is a partner with food.