Ch09 Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot Flashcards
What does adding Cabernet Sauvignon to a blend do
Adding Cabernet Sauvignon = adds tannin + acidity + aromatic fruit
What does adding Merlot to a blend do
Adding Merlot = softens + adds body + more drinkable
Characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon
- High Tannin + High Acidity + Strong Aromas
- Black Fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry) + Herbaceous (Green Pepper + Mint)
Cabernet Sauvignon Best Climate
- Best in Moderate to Hot Climate
- Warmer climate = fuller body + softer tannins + more black cherry + less herbaceous
What is Cabernet Sauvignon like in a cool climate?
- Can’t ripen in cool climate
Unripe = harsh + astringent + unpleasant herbaceousness
Cabernet Sauvignon Oaking
- Often oaked
- Softens tannins
- Oaky flavours (Smoke + Vanilla + Coffee + Cedar)
Cabernet Sauvignon Ageing
Intense fruit flavours + High tannin + High acidity = good wine to age
Merlot Characteristics
- Less aromatic + less intense flavour
- Lighter tannin + Lighter Acidity + MORE Body + MORE Alcohol than CS
Merlot in a Hot Climate
- Hot Climate (or overripe moderate climate) =
Blackfruit (blackberry, black plum, black cherry) - Full Body + Medium or Low Acidity + High Alcohol + Medium gentle tannins
- Super ripe = fruitcake + chocolate
Merlot in a Moderate Climate
- Moderate or cooler climates = Red fruit (strawberry, red berry, plum) + Herbal (mint)
- More Tannin + More Acidity
What grape did Chile misidentify?
Some Merlot is actually Carmenere which gives wines a spicy flavour and intense fruit
Where in Chile do you find Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot?
Maipo, Colchagua, Cachapoal
Merlot Aged and Oaked
Often aged in oak = spice + oaky flavours (vanilla, coffee)
France Regions for Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
BORDEAUX (Garonne + Dordogne meet to form Gironde estuary) Left Bank (west and south of Gironde = Cabernet Sauvignon) - Medoc
- Haute-Medoc
• Pauillac
• Margaux - Graves
• Pessac Leognan
Right Bank (north and east of Gironde = Merlot)
- Saint-Emilion AC (best are Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AC)
- Pomerol AC
Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Superieur AC
Left Bank Regions
Left Bank (west and south of Gironde = Cabernet Sauvignon) - Medoc
- Haute-Medoc
• Pauillac
• Margaux - Graves
• Pessac Leognan
Left Bank Soil
Best sites are gravel mounds = drain water + retain heat to aid ripening
Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon Characteristics
- Medium or Full Body + High Tannin + High Acidity + Medium Alcohol + Long Length
- Tough when young
Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon Ageing
- Age = softens tannins
- Age = Blackfruit (blackcurrant, black cherry) + Tasty Oak develops into Vegetal + Tobacco + Cedar complexity
- Best wines from Cru Classe chateaux - world’s most complex long lived reds
Right Bank Merlot Regions
Right Bank (north and east of Gironde = Merlot) Saint-Emilion AC (best are Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AC) Pomerol AC
Right Bank Merlot Characteristics
Softer style than Left Bank
Medium Tannin + Medium Acidity
Red fruit (plum, red berry)
Age = Cedar + Tobacco
Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Superieur AC (Higher alcohol than Bordeaux AC)
Many premium quality wines
Medium Body + Medium Tannin + Medium Acidity
Red + Black Fruits
Best consumed young, but can benefit from bottle age
Right Bank Merlot Ageing
Age = Cedar + Tobacco
Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Superieur AC (Higher alcohol than Bordeaux AC)
Many premium quality wines
Medium Body + Medium Tannin + Medium Acidity
Red + Black Fruits
Best consumed young, but can benefit from bottle age
Bordeaux Cab Merlot Regions
Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Superieur AC (Higher alcohol than Bordeaux AC)
Many premium quality wines
Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Superieur AC Characteristics
Medium Body + Medium Tannin + Medium Acidity
Red + Black Fruits
Best consumed young, but can benefit from bottle age
Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Superieur AC Ageing
Best consumed young, but can benefit from bottle age
Australia Cab Merlot Regions
Coonawarra
Margaret River WA
Coonawarra Characteristics
Coonawarra
Intense structured wine
Distinctive Cassis + Mint + Eucalyptus + Black Cherry + Oak (toast, vanilla)
Margaret River Characteristics
Margaret River WA
Varietal Cabernet and Merlot Cabernet blends
High Tannin
Black fruit (blackcurrant) + Herb (blackcurrant leaf)
New Zealand Cab Merlot Region
Hawke’s Bay (North Island)
New Zealand Cab Merlot Characteristics
- High quality Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Cab-Merlot blends
- Medium or High Acidity + High Tannin
- Herb aromas (cedar, blackcurrant leaf)
USA Cab Merlot Regions
Napa Valley, California
Rutherford and Oakville
Alexander Valley, Sonoma
Columbia Valley, Washington
Cab Merlot Napa Valley
- Most of widely planted black grape
- Rutherford and Oakville
Rutherford and Oakville, Napa Valley
- Premium Cabernet Sauvignon
- High levels of soft ripe tannin + Deep colour + Black Cherry + Oak
Alexander Valley, Sonoma
- Soft-textured, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon
- Premium California Merlot = Full body + Soft Black fruit + Fruitcake + Oak
Columbia Valley, Washington
- Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot
- Both California + Washington blend Cab and Merlot like in Bordeaux
Chile Cab Merlot Regions
- Maipo Valley, close to SAntiago
- Colchagua (further south)
- Cachapoal (parts of Rapel Valley) (further south)
Chile Characteristics
- Premium varietal and blended Cab and Merlol
- Pronounced Herbal (green pepper, blackcurrant leaf) + Intense fruit (black cherry, blackberry)
Chile Carmenere
Carmenere confused with Merlot - can add intense colour + spiced black fruit (blackberry, liquorice, pepper)
Argentina Cab Merlot Region and climate
- Mendoza
- High altitude moderates the climate
Argentina Cab Merlot Characteristics
- Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Malbec
- Traditionally aged in oak for long time before release = meaty + leathery
- Modern = much fruitier
South Africa Cab Merlot Region
Stellenbosch
South Africa Cab Merlot Characteristics
- Cab-Merlot blends and varietal wines
- LESS intense fruit + MORE herb compared to Australia or California
- Close to Bordeaux style + High Tannin + High Acidity
BULK Cab Merlot (8 regions-
Cab Sauv can be cropped at high levels in range of climates as long (as not too cool) - will still retain some black fruit and high tannins
- Central Valley, Chile
- Pays d’Oc, Southern France
- South Africa (Cab Sauv)
- SEA (Cab Sauv)
- California (Cab Sauv)
- Mendoza, Argentina (Cab Sauv)
- Northern Italy (light body Merlot)
- Basic Bordeaux (best are soft, light or medium body Merlot)
Cab Merlot BLENDS
- Cab Sauv-Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz - Australia
Shiraz gives softness and richness that Merlot usually provides - Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - Argentina
- Cab Sauv-Carmenere and Merlot-Carmenere - Chile
