Cabernet Sauvignon

The global classic

Cabernet Sauvignon can fairly claim to be the most noble of the noble great varieties. Wherever in the world winemakers have wanted to produce their versions of the best red wines, then they have usually gone to the model of Bordeaux and started with Cabernet Sauvignon. In Chile, for instance, Errázuriz regularly pits its top wines, Cabernet Sauvignon blends, against the finest Bordeaux and Italian wines. (Equally often, these Chilean versions come out top.)

In Bordeaux, winemakers traditionally blended in Merlot because it ripened earlier, and ensured quality and consistency in uneven years. Today growers know how to handle the vines to best effect, but Cabernet Sauvignon still adapts to 'seasoning' from other varieties.

The wine also has an affinity with oak. That is to say, fermenting and ageing the wine in oak barrels (French oak adds toast and cedar notes, American oak gives coconut and caramel). As a result Cabernet becomes a remarkably complex patchwork of texture, aroma and flavour.