Cabernet Sauvignon | The Story Behind The Vine

There are thousands of grape varieties out there, with over 1,300 of them used to make wine.  With so many in cultivation, we want to help you add a little more resolution to your choice of varieties. To give you that extra confidence, we thought it would be best to share the stories behind our vines! This month, we’re honing in on Cabernet Sauvignon – the world’s most popular red wine grape and one of the most widely planted. Cabernet Sauvignon has been grown on our property since the 19th century and with 99 acres on our estate, it really is a part of the Trefethen winemaking DNA. 

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: Bordeaux, France
Style: Dry red wine
Color Profile: Dark ruby red
Flavor Profile: Black cherry, black currant, and blackberry
Key Regions Planted: France, Chile, United States, Australia, Italy, South Africa, Argentina
Suggested Food Pairings:
CHEESE: Hard Italian Cheeses like Piave Vecchio. Aged Cheddar, Aged Sheep’s Milk Cheeses
HERBS: Thyme, Bay leaves, Rosemary
SPICES: Star Anise, Black Pepper, Fennel
TOASTED NUTS: Pine nuts, Salted Almonds, Cashew
MEAT: Beef, Venison, Duck, Bacon, Steak, Burgers
FRUIT (Dried or Fresh): Dark Cherries, Black Currant, Black Berries
VEG: Black olives, Mushrooms, Red Beets, Broccoli, Nasturtiums, Arugula, Charred Onion, Garlic, Fennel, Roasted Carrots, Potato Chips 

When you think of Cabernet Sauvignon, think dark fruit! Cabernet Sauvignon clusters are made up of small, black-blue berries with thick skins. The resulting wine is usually deep red in color, full-bodied, with notable tannins and plenty of dark berry fruit on the nose and palate.  Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of black currant and black cherry, minor notes of green bell pepper, and spice notes of vanilla and clove from aging in oak barrels.

Cabernet Sauvignon, like Chardonnay, is planted around the world and reflective of the various locations and climates in which it is grown.

Did you know that Cabernet Sauvignon originated in Bordeaux during the 1600s as an accidental cross between the red grape Cabernet Franc and the white Sauvignon Blanc? DNA testing at UC Davis only discovered this relationship in 1996.  

Although it originated in France, today Cabernet Sauvignon is an international grape produced in virtually every major winemaking region globally, although the variety tends to prefer warmer climates. The top-performing regions for Cabernet Sauvignon include France, Italy, Australia, South America, South Africa, New Zealand, and of course, the USA. 

Interestingly, while Napa is a household name for wine regions today, that wasn’t the case just fifty years ago.   Napa as a wine-growing region gained popularity following the now-famous 1976 “Judgement of Paris” – a private wine competition held in Paris that pitted California wines against French wines in an era when the market was convinced that French wines were superior. The result? Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley won top honors! 

Following this pivotal moment that proved Napa’s Cabernet wines could compete with the world’s leading wines of the time, Napa Valley has since forged ahead in becoming a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon producer.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a stellar grape that often stands alone, but it also works very well in blends with other red varieties.  The style of Cabernet Sauvignon will differ depending on the geographic origin of the grapes, how they are farmed, and the choices of the winemaker, including the date of harvest. In the Old World, some winemakers specialize in blending varietals together. Cabernet Sauvignon is often a favorite, as it is a powerful presence in blends. Most famously, Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic component of many wines from Bordeaux.  It is often blended with the other main red Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec,  Petit Verdot. Despite the natural full-bodied traits of Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux wines can be beautifully subtle and age gracefully for decades.

Cabernet Sauvignon from New World countries such as South Africa and Chile are often fruitier than their Old World counterparts. Here in California, Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines are distinguished by their rich mixture of blackberries, mint, eucalyptus, and vanilla oak. As in the old World, Cabernet Sauvignon can be bottled as a single variety wine, or blended with other varieties.

Cabernet Sauvignon is loved by winemakers and drinkers alike. It offers potential for fruit, elegance, power, complexity, consistency, acidity, and aging. Indeed, Cabernet Sauvignon is beloved for its flavor concentration and age-worthiness. One of the reasons for this is because of the composition of the grape itself. Thanks to its thick skin, there is a naturally high level of tannins, making the red grape variety especially suitable for aging. As an added bonus, vineyard pests tend to leave the grapes alone on the vine thanks to its protective astringent taste! 

These tannins are essential to the wine’s structure and capacity to age well. Once bottled, this noble variety wows drinkers as an expressive wine that delivers in quality and is delectable when paired with just about any grilled or roasted meat, particularly steak. Simply put, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is incredibly versatile and a worthy addition to your table or cellar.

Our Trefethen Signature Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic representation of a Cabernet Sauvignon from a cooler part of Napa. Our goal is to offer a quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon that can be enjoyed on any occasion and that highlights the quality of the grapes from our estate vineyards.

Our Reserve Cabernet is a blend of grapes from our Main Ranch and Hillspring Vineyards, allowing us to bring the flavors together from both volcanic and deep loam soils.  Holding onto the lively fruit flavors from the Main Ranch, there are also hints of cigar box, bay leaves, and bolder tannins.

Lastly, Trefethen’s HāLo Cabernet Sauvignon named after third-generation children Hailey (Hā) and Lorenzo (Lo), comes from the very finest lots of our Hillspring Vineyard.  The volcanic soils result in smaller more concentrated berries and tannins that will aid in the graceful aging of this wine.   HaLo is a pure expression of the power and grace of our Hillspring Vineyard and represents the top 1% of our wine.  We recommend decanting and enjoying over multiple hours to fully experience all that this wine has to offer.

All Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignons are available for purchase here. We hope that you experience the breadth of flavors and textures our Cabernet Sauvignons offer and enjoy every moment with our wine in your glass!