Cabernet Sauvignon Flashcards
Learn characteristics, winemaking/maturation, and important regions of Cabernet Sauvignon, in addition to Bordeaux labeling.
In what climate does Cabernet Sauvignon prefer to grow?
- Moderate (Cab prefers the warmest sites within moderate climates)
- Warm
Why does Cabernet Sauvignon need a warmer climate, or the warmest of sites in moderate climates, to fully ripen?
It has thick skins and higher levels of flavors and tannins that need to develop.
From where does Cabernet Sauvignon originate?
Southwest France
Describe the general profile of Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Dry
- Medium to full body
- High acidity
- High tannins
- Black fruits (plums, currants)
- Herbaceous (green pepper)
- Herbal (mint)
In very warm/hot climates, Cabernet Sauvignon can show cooked-fruit flavors.
What characteristics about Cabernet Sauvignon make it age worthy?
- High acidity
- High tannins
Both structural components behave as natural preservatives.
Why is Cabernet Sauvignon usually blended with Merlot?
- Merlot softens the hard edges (high acid, high tannin) of Cabernet Sauvignon, especially if the Cab is from a cooler site/moderate climate and struggled to ripen.
- Merlot also adds red fruit flavors to the black fruitedness of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Conversely, Cabernet Sauvignon will add structure and black fruits to a plush, soft, red-fruited Merlot.
Why is Cabernet Sauvignon so often barrel fermented/aged?
- Cabernet Sauvignon has the capability to age in oak for years due to its sturdy structure (high acid, high tannin);
- Oxygen exchange in the barrel helps soften tannins and is overall beneficial to Cab;
- Oak aging imparts pleasant flavors to Cabernet Sauvignon, e.g. clove, vanilla, mocha.
What kind of tertiary aromas and flavors does oak-aged Cabernet Sauvignon include?
- Dried fruits
- Earth/mushrooms
- Wet leaves/forest floor
Fill in the blank:
France’s most important region for Cabernet Sauvignon is _____.
Bordeaux
Which Bank in Bordeaux typically has a higher ratio of Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot in the blends?
Left Bank
What feature about Bordeaux’s soils helps Cabernet Sauvigon to ripen in this moderate climate?
Bordeaux has gravelly soils, which do 2 things:
- Drain easily so vines’ feet don’t stay cool and damp
- Retain warmth from the sun and redistribute that warmth overnight
What are the 6 AOCs to know for Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends in Bordeaux?
- Médoc AOC
-
Haut-Médoc AOC (area w/in Médoc)
- Margaux AOC (small area w/in Haut-Médoc)
- Pauillac AOC (small area w/in Haut-Médoc)
-
Graves AOC
- Pessac-Léognan AOC (small area w/in Graves)
Fill in the blank:
All the grapes in Bordeaux don’t necessarily fully ripen every year, so _____ grapes that have different ripening times and different flavors helps the Bordelaise ensure that they will have something to bottle every year.
blending
Bordeaux’s moderate climate, and its proximity to the Atlantic, make vintage variation a real issue.
What does the term “Château” indicate on a bottle of Bordeaux?
That the grapes used to make the wine in that bottle were grown on the producer’s own land (they were not purchased grapes).
What term can Châteaux use on their label if the estate has been classified as one of the best in Bordeaux?
Grand Cru Classé or Cru Classé
Fill in the blank:
A wine from the Médoc AOC that hasn’t been classified as one of Bordeaux’s best estates can apply to use a different term called _____.
Cru Bourgeois
Cru Bourgeois wines won’t be as expensive or as long-lived as the classified estates’ wines.
Where else in France besides Bordeaux is Cabernet Sauvignon planted?
Languedoc-Roussillon
The wines are typically labeled Pays d’Oc IGP
In the U.S., which state produces good- to exceptional-quality Cabernet Sauvignon?
California
Which 2 regions in California are best known for their Cabernet Sauvignon?
- Napa Valley
- Sonoma
What is the climate of Napa Valley?
Warm with a long growing season.
Which 3 Napa Valley subregions are well known for their Cabernet Sauvignons and which one is the warmest?
- Oakville
- Rutherford
- Calistoga (warmest)
Compare the style of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to the style of Left Bank Bordeaux.
Napa Valley
- Dry
- Full body
- High alcohol
- High tannin
- Medium to high acidty
- Ripe, juicy black fruit flavors
Left Bank Bordeaux
- Dry
- Medium to full body
- Medium to high alcohol
- High tannin
- High acidity
- Just-ripe black fruit flavors
- More herbaceous
If a Cabernet Sauvignon just has the appellation “California” on the label, where are the grapes allowed to come from?
All over California
However, most of it is grown for bulk wine in California’s hot Central Valley.
This style of Cab often sees some oak influence from oak chips or staves.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted variety in which South American country?
Chile
Which appellations in Chile are you most likely to find Cabernet Sauvignon?
Central Valley and its 2 subregions Maipo Valley and Colchagua Valley.
Fill in the blank:
Both Maipo Valley and Colchagua Valley run _____ to _____.
east, west
This benefits winegrowers by giving them a vast number of sites from which to select grapes, e.g. higher elevation and lower elevation, and warmer sites and cooler sites.
In Chile, Cabernet Sauvignon is usually blended with which 2 grapes?
- Merlot
- Carmenère
Which region in South Africa is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon?
Stellenbosch
What are the features of Stellenbosch that allow it to make varying styles of Cabernet Sauvignon?
- It’s mountainous/has varying elevation
- Moderate to warm climate
Cabs from Stellenbosch can be herbal, medium-bodied, and red fruited to full-throttle, high alcohol, and cooked black fruit flavors.
What are the grapes in Cape Blend?
- Pinotage
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Which 2 areas in Australia are well known for their high quality Cabernet Sauvignon?
- Coonawarra (South Australia)
- Margaret River (Western Australia)
What weather features of Margaret River help this warm region maintain freshness in its Cabernets?
- Ocean breezes
- Ample rainfall over winter
What are the weather features in Coonawarra that help it produce outstanding-quality Cabernets?
- Frequent cloud cover
- Cool southerly breezes
What flavor characteristics do Australian Cabernets usually have that makes them distinct from Cabernets grown outside Australia?
- Distinctive herbal notes with mint and eucalyptus flavors;
- Other flavors include black currant and typically smoke and cedar flavors from oak.
Which area in New Zealand is known for making high quality Cabernet Sauvignon?
Hawke’s Bay
Where do farmers have to plant their Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Hawke’s Bay, NZ to ensure the grapes ripen?
In the warmest possible sites.
Because Hawke’s Bay has a moderate climate like Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is usually blended with Merlot.
