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WSET Level 2 > 15. Cabernet Sauvignon > Flashcards

15. Cabernet Sauvignon Flashcards

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1
Q

What climate is Cabernet Sauvignon grown in?

A

Moderate to warm

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2
Q

What level of acidity does Cab Sav have?

A

High acidity

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3
Q

What level of tannins does Cab Sav have?

A

High tannins

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4
Q

What are the five key differences between Merlot and Cab Sav?

A

Cab Sav - thicker skins (more colour and tannins)
Merlot - medium acidity, Cab Sav - high acidity
Merlot - medium tannins, Cab Sav - high tannins
Cab Sav needs a long and warm growing season to ripen fully
Merlot - red fruit dominant, Cab Sav - black fruit dominant

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5
Q

What flavours does Cab Sav usually exhibit?

A

Black fruit - blackcurrant, black cherry
Herbal - mint or Herbaceous - green pepper
Cooked fruit in warm climates

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6
Q

What flavours can bottle ageing a Cab Sav produce?

A

Dried fruits
Earth
Forest floor

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7
Q

What grapes is Cab Sav commonly blended with?

A

Merlot

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8
Q

What three things does Cab Sav add to a wine blend?

A

Help balance acidity (if too low)
Add tannins
Increased tannins and acidity mean the wine ages better and that oak use is more common

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9
Q

What is commonly done to Cab Sav to reduce harsh tannins?

A

Matured in oak barrels

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10
Q

How does oak maturation affect tannins?

A

Barrels are porous so oxygen gets into the wine. The oxygen binds to the tannins creating a sediment and decreasing tannins.

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11
Q

What secondary flavours does maturing a Cab Sav blend in oak often give?

A

Smoke
Vanilla
Cloves

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12
Q

What are key regions for Cab Sav?

6 countries, 18 regions

A

France - Bordeaux (Medoc, Haut Medoc, Pauillac, Graves, Margaux, Pessac-Leognan), South of France
California - Sonoma, Napa Valley (Oakville, Rutherford, Calistoga)
Chile - Central Valley (Maipo Valley, Colchagua Valley)
South Africa - Stellenbosch
Australia - Margaret River, Coonawarra
New Zealand - Hawke’s Bay

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13
Q

Where in Bordeaux is Cab Sav commonly found?

A

Left bank - Medoc, Haut-Medoc, Pauillac, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Margaux

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14
Q

Why is Cab Sav more common on the left bank of Bordeaux?

A

Gravel soils in this region help Cab Sav to ripen as they retain heat

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15
Q

If Cab Sav struggles to ripen in Bordeaux what might the wine maker do?

A

Add a higher proportion of Merlot

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16
Q

What is a Bordeaux blend?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

17
Q

What is a Cru Bourgeois wine?

A

Wines from Medoc/Haut-Medoc that are not Grand Cru Classe but are still high quality

18
Q

Where are the ripest, most full bodied Cab Sav’s found in Napa Valley?

A

Calistoga

19
Q

What is a Cape Blend?

A

Cabernet Sauvignong
Merlot
Pinotage

20
Q

What are some of characteristics of Cab Sav from California’s Central Valley and why?

A

Inexpensive wines
Oak flavours due to oak chips or staves
Hot and irrigated vineyards leading to high quantities

21
Q

What are the conditions like within Maipo Valley and Colchagua Valley?

A

High quality wines
Located on foothills on Andes
Lower yields
Good aspect = more sun and better ripening
Slopes = poorer soil quality which natural controls yields

22
Q

Where is Maipo Valley?

A

In Central Valley in Chile

23
Q

Where is Colchagua Valley?

A

In Central Valley in Chile

24
Q

What are the moderating factors in Margaret River?

A

Coastal breezes

25
Q

What are the moderating factors in Coonawarra?

A

Cloud cover and cooling breezes from the South

26
Q

Where is Coonawarra?

A

South Australia

27
Q

Where is Margaret River?

A

Western Australia

28
Q

What component of a Bordeaux blend affects ageing time?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon proportion - more Cab Sav means the wine takes longer to age

29
Q 
What grape has the following characteristics:
Thick skin
High acidity
High tannins
Black fruit and herbaceous flavours?
A

Cabernet Sauvignon

WSET Level 2 (24 decks)

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