All about Cabernet Sauvignon
Sam Wylie-Harris shortlists some showy wines to highlight prized grape
If you love a broad-shouldered red with personality, swagger and a bold bouquet of blackcurrant and cassis, chances are you’re a cabernet sauvignon fan.
The king of the grapevine, these hardy, thick-skinned globetrotting grapes grow pretty much anywhere – and the most memorable will reward you with their rich, velvety texture, soft tannins, and a nose that delivers on its promise.
In honour of International Cabernet Sauvignon Day on August 30, we’ve rounded up a cornucopia of cab savs that balance power with elegance…
1. Yalumba Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, South Australia, £9, Just Cases
Beautifully ripe and packed with vibrant fruit, this is a crowd-pleasing cab sav from one of Australia’s leading wineries, which more than delivers in the style stakes. A powerhouse of dark cherries, blackberries, bushy fruit, dried herbs and hint of mint on the long, lip-smacking finish, there’s great depth and bags of fruity charm.
2. No1 Vina Valdivieso Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2017, Maipo Valley, Chile, £9.99, Waitrose
In a word, lavish! Chile likes to turn its hand to most grapes, but cabernet sauvignon is one of its strongest suits. A perfect parcel of exuberant fruit pulled together with a satin ribbon of cassis and sumptuous spiced oak, with a generous, juicy finish and subtle savoury note.
3. Viñalba Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Mendoza, Argentina, £10, Tesco
Liquid velvet in a glass, this top drop was awarded a Silver medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 and won the judges over with its “lovely nose of green pepper, cedar, coffee beans vanilla and intense black fruit. Somewhat minty palate, rich structure and intensity.” Deep and elegant, it’s a classic and outstanding value.
4. Ring-Bolt Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Western Australia, £10, Tesco
Right at the heart of the Australian wine scene, normally you’d have to splash out for a cab sav of this calibre from this famous region. With a beguiling bouquet topped with violet and cassis, forest floor of plush blackberry fruits, a hint of mocha and more than enough stuffing and structure to show how good Margaret River cab savs can be at this price point, this marries elegance with strength.
5. Wakefield Estate Cabernet
Sauvignon 2017, Clare Valley, Australia, £12.99, Sandhams
A big wine from an awardwinning winery, which turns out everyday-choice cab as well as world-class cabernet, there’s real depth of concentration here. Lovely complex aromas of blackcurrant fruit alongside cassis, sweet spice, leafy notes and eucalyptus lead to a rich palate, with mulberry, cigar box, dark chocolate and subtle oak characters joining the party. Super satisfying with a long, full finish.
6. Torres Gran Coronas Reserva, Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Penedès, Spain, £13.80, Tanners Wines
This Spanish beauty has a splash of tempranillo to up the tempo and fetching aromas of blueberry, cassis and jammy blackberry draw you in, followed by dark cherry fruit, hints of vanilla from oak ageing, and a lick of liquorice adding to its complexity. The finish is long and luxurious with a touch of baking spice on the tail.
7. Domaine de la Jasse Tête de Cuvee Rouge ‘Black Label’ 2018, Languedoc, France, £15.95, Mr Wheeler Beyond its stamping ground in Bordeaux, southern
French cabernet offers good depth and structure without the lofty price tag – and this gutsy red is a wine to swoon over. Perfumed and seductively smooth from word go, it’s brimming with blackcurrant, blueberries and wild berries entwined with savoury herbs, sweet spice and a splendid silky palate with fresh oak nuances and lots of finesse. A joyous glass and very impressive.