The Great colonizer
Cabernet Sauvignon, also known as the wild Cabernet is the world’s most popular red wine grape varietal. It was discovered through accidental breeding of the Sauvignon Blanc grape and the Cabernet Franc grapes. After its discovery in the 70s, the grape quickly gained popularity among the French winemakers, especially in the Bordeaux region. This popularity was attributed to its ease of cultivation. The grapes have thick skins. The vines are hardy and naturally low-yielding. They bud late to avoid frost and they are resistant to viticulture hazards such as decomposition, insects, frost, and plant viruses. In addition, the grape is also consistent with its flavors, which express the typical character of the variety.
The popularity of the Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its presence in Bordeaux wines. It was often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Bordeaux winemakers loved the Cabernet Sauvignon’s healthy level of tannins, which gave the wine the ability to keep aging in the bottle for years. The winemakers also discovered that it reacted really well spending time in oak. The oak brought out new flavours from the grape. The result was a wine that was full-bodied with a medium acidity that was fantastic for savoring with food. As they started playing with the varietal, winemakers began blending it with other grapes, such as Merlot, and created the world’s most famous wine blend; The Bordeaux Blend.
The grape gained popularity, and more people around the world began to grow it. This is when it earned its nickname ‘the great colonizer’. Becoming the most widely planted grape globally, overrunning local varietals at the time until Merlot overtook it in the nineties. But the Great Colonizer’s popularity saw it surpass the Merlot as the world’s most popular red wine varietal less than two decades later, with a vine coverage of 341,000 hectares around the world.
Wine lovers today can find many of this varietal options in the market. With some Cabernet Sauvignon wines being sumptuous and fruity, others are savory and smoky. This all depends on where the grape grows and what process is used to turn it into wine. It is dry and has a healthy level of tannin, which is why the mouth dries out when you take a sip. Many people who drink Cabernet Sauvignon say they pick up a taste of green pepper in the wine, along with tobacco, cassis, and dark fruits such as cherries, along with a hint of vanilla that comes from the wine aging in the oak.
Bordeaux winemakers were instrumental in making this grape varietal popular. The grape has since seen many farmers grow it across the world. Some of these regions are:
Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux is very much the original Cabernet Sauvignon growing region. It is in this region where you will find some of the most flavourful, tasty, delicious, and age-worthy varieties of the grape. They mix the grapes here to make the world-famous Bordeaux blend, so you won’t find the Cabernet Sauvignon here. The Cabernet Sauvignon produced in this region has hints of black currant, tobacco and plum.
Cabernet Sauvignon performs best on the gravelly soils in Bordeaux. If you are looking for a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine, look to the sub-regions of Médoc, Graves, Côtes de Bourg and Blaye.
North Coast, California
Grown in the greater North Coast area, in regions including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, and some lesser-known regions that produce outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon.
South Australia
The Coonawarra region in South Australia experiences a warm climate. The region has red clay soils (called “terra rossa”) with high iron-oxide content. This region, along with Langhorne Creek are famous for their exceptional expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wines from here have ample depth and powerful tannins with distinct notes of white pepper or bay leaf. It’s common to find exceptional quality Australian Cabernet wines bottled under a screwcap. So, don’t let the bottle top deter you from having a taste of Australia.
Chile
Chile offers some of the best values for exceptional quality Cabernet Sauvignon. There is alot of wine that comes from the vast Central Valley in Chile. The best Cabernet comes from the Aconcagua, Maipo, Cachapoal, and Colchagua Valleys.
The location of Maipo Valley between the cooling Pacific Ocean breezes and hot, inland Andes Mountains produces one of the most ideal Mediterranean climates for Cabernet Sauvignon. You’ll find top quality Maipo wines from the sub-region, Alto Maipo.
South Africa
Because of its surprising adaptability, Cabernet Sauvignon is South Africa’s most widely planted red grape. It has been around since the late part of the 19th century and made South Africa’s most impressive red wines.
This red wine varietal offers great wine that you can enjoy on its own or pair it with some delicious food. It’s important to understand the basics of wine and food pairing when choosing a food to pair with your Cabernet Sauvignon. It will pair perfectly with your favorite piece of steak. Try this red wine with roast lamb to feel tannins in action. Feel the wine cut through the fatty, juicy lamb, bringing forth a burst of flavour. Although it is advisable to pair the bold Cabernet Sauvignon with red meat, Vegetarians can also pair it with Cheese or with Portobella mushrooms. The portobella mushroom gives a similar experience to pairing with meat. The food and wine won’t get a chance to overpower each other.
