Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely grown grape in the world. It originated in the Bordeaux region of France in the 17th century as a result of an accidental crossing of the related Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. From there its popularity spread to the rest of Europe and eventually the Americas. In fact, Cabernet has become so popular among wine producers, that it is sometimes criticized for displacing less popular, but more rare, wines.
While Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly makes delicious wine, its popularity probably has more to do with marketing than any other factor. Wine producers like it because it is easy to cultivate – the vines are very hardy, they bud late which helps to avoid frost, and they are fairly resistant to attack from rots and insects.
Consumers like Cabernet because… well because it’s familiar to them. The name is easy to pronounce, it has fairly consistent flavors and character regardless of the region it comes from, and its widely available no matter throughout the world. It’s an easy wine to love.
The best Cabernet Sauvignons in the world still come from the Bordeaux region of France. But top quality Cabernets are also produced in the United States, Italy, and even Australia. In particular, California’s Napa Valley is known for producing world class cabernets.
Cabernet Sauvignons tend to have strong flavors such as blackberry, black currant, plum, leather and wood. They are medium to full bodied wines and typically high in tannins, which also makes them excellent candidates for long term aging.
Cabernets come in a wide variety of price points and quality levels and are versatile enough to pair with a wide variety of foods. If you’re looking for a wine to bring to a dinner party, this is almost always a safe choice.