Grape Vine
Cabernet Sauvignon
One of the world’s most classic grapes, Cabernet can be found growing in every country both in top class blends, stand alone blends and basic house wine.
Blackcurrants:
Food Friendly:
Classic:
Cheap:
Impress a wine snob:
What you need to know
Blackcurrants! It’s the classic flavour of Cabernet Sauvignon (commonly referred to Cab Sauv) and despite its prolific nature and ability to blend you can taste the blackcurrants even though you can find Cab Sauv in all shapes and sizes.
If you like structure and serious food wines the obvious Cabernet Sauvignon for you is a Medoc or Haut Medoc wine from Bordeaux, where it plays the principal role in the blend.
If you prefer silkier fruitier wines the Australian Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Coonawarra have a pure fruit character with blackcurrant-like acidity. They also often have a hint of mint.
These wines are generally elegant (unless you’re paying sub £5 for a blend) and have the right acidity/tannin combination for serious food matching – beef, steak, slow roast lamb, potato dauphinoise – classic wines for classic foods…
Top Tip – Chile is a great home for Cabernet Sauvignon, rounder and juicier than the cool climate Aussie examples you get much better value for money too.
Recommended
Doña Dominga Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva
Doña Dominga is from the family run Casa Silva winery in Chile, their wines balance intense fruit and oak flavours with a refined style making them both moreish and fabulous food wines. Crack a bottle open, make sure it's not too cold and sup with roast beef and yorkshire puddings.
Previous Recommended Wines
