Winemaking has gotten complicated with all the techniques and equipment flying around. As someone with extensive winemaking experience, I learned everything there is to know about crafting wine. Today, I will share it all with you.
Cabernet Sauvignon: Why I Keep Coming Back to the King of Reds
I’ve been making wine at home for almost two decades, and I keep circling back to Cabernet Sauvignon. Not because it’s trendy or impressive – honestly, Pinot Noir gets way more attention at dinner parties. But Cab just does something that other red wines don’t.
Let me tell you why this grape has earned its reputation, and share some mistakes I’ve made along the way so you don’t repeat them.
The Accidental Grape
Here’s a fun fact that blew my mind when I first heard it: Cabernet Sauvignon is an accidental hybrid. Sometime in the 1600s in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc crossed with Sauvignon Blanc naturally. No human planned it. The result was this thick-skinned, tannic powerhouse that ages like nothing else.
That thick skin is everything. More skin contact during winemaking means more tannins, more color, more structure. It’s why Cab can sit in a cellar for 20+ years and actually improve. Try that with most white wines and you’ll have expensive vinegar.
What Makes Cab Taste Like Cab
Every wine drinker has their own vocabulary, but here’s what I consistently find in Cabernet Sauvignon:
Black currant. This is the signature. That dark, almost jammy berry flavor shows up in pretty much every decent Cab I’ve tried. Sometimes it’s fresher, sometimes more concentrated, but it’s always there.
Green bell pepper. Now this one divides people. In small amounts, it adds complexity. Too much and the wine tastes underripe and vegetal. I ruined an entire batch in 2018 by picking too early – tasted like I’d blended in V8 juice. Not good.
Cedar and tobacco. These show up after oak aging and bottle age. A young Cab might taste all fruit. Give it ten years and suddenly there’s this cigar box quality that’s hard to describe but impossible to miss.
Eucalyptus. This is more common in Australian Cabs, especially from Coonawarra. Some people love it, some think it tastes medicinal. I’m in the “love it” camp.
My Favorite Cab Regions (Ranked by Value)
1. Paso Robles, California – Don’t sleep on Paso. Seriously. You can get world-class Cab here for $30-50 that would cost $100+ from Napa. The heat gives ripe, approachable fruit without the pretense. Try Austin Hope or Daou if you haven’t.
2. Washington State – Columbia Valley produces some stellar Cabs that fly under the radar. Quilceda Creek makes one of America’s best, but even the $25 options from L’Ecole or Columbia Crest punch above their weight.
3. Chile – Best value on the planet for everyday Cab. Maipo Valley bottles from Concha y Toro or Santa Rita will embarrass wines costing twice as much. Perfect Tuesday night wine.
4. Napa Valley – Look, I’m not saying Napa is overrated, but I am saying you’re paying for the name. For special occasions, sure. Caymus, Stag’s Leap, Silver Oak – they’re excellent. But don’t buy Napa Cab thinking you need to spend $80 for a good Wednesday dinner wine.
5. Bordeaux – The birthplace of Cab blends. Left Bank Bordeaux (like Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien) makes structured, age-worthy wines. But finding good value here takes homework. Stick with Cru Bourgeois designations for quality without the trophy pricing.
Pairing Cab with Food (What Actually Works)
The standard advice is “pair with red meat” and yeah, that’s true. A ribeye steak with a glass of Cabernet is one of life’s perfect combinations. The fat in the meat softens the tannins in the wine. They complete each other.
But let me share some less obvious pairings that work:
- Hard aged cheeses – Parmesan, aged gouda, manchego. The protein and fat in the cheese tame the tannins. This is my go-to “I don’t feel like cooking” pairing.
- Mushrooms – Earthy flavors love earthy wines. Portobello burgers with Cab? Fantastic.
- Dark chocolate – Not milk chocolate, dark. 70%+ cacao. The bitter notes complement each other. Sounds weird, tastes amazing.
- Lamb – Maybe even better than beef, honestly. Lamb chops with rosemary and garlic, medium rare, with a tannic young Cab. Restaurant-quality dinner at home.
What doesn’t work: Spicy food, fish, most Asian cuisine. The tannins clash with delicate flavors and amplify heat. I once paired a bold Cab with Thai green curry. Terrible decision. My mouth was on fire for an hour.
The Decanting Debate
People overthink this. Here’s my simple rule: Young Cab (less than 5 years old) benefits from 1-2 hours in a decanter. The oxygen softens the tannins and opens up the aromatics.
Old Cab (15+ years) needs a gentle decanting just to separate the wine from sediment. Don’t splash it around – you’ll lose the delicate aged notes you’ve been waiting years to enjoy.
Middle-aged Cab? Pour it and wait 30-45 minutes. Have some cheese while you wait. The wine will evolve in your glass.
Don’t have a decanter? Pour the wine back and forth between two pitchers a few times. It’s not elegant but it works.
Storing Cab for the Long Haul
If you’re buying Cabernet to age (and you should – young Cab is often closed and harsh), you need proper storage. That means:
- Temperature: 55 degrees F, give or take 5 degrees
- Humidity: 60-70% so corks don’t dry out
- Darkness: Light degrades wine over time
- Stillness: Vibration can disturb sediment
I lost a case of 2010 Caymus because I stored it in my garage “temporarily” during a move. Three months of temperature swings ruined it. Expensive lesson. Now I have a dedicated wine fridge.
Making Cab at Home (Lessons Learned)
I’ve made maybe 50 batches of Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Don’t rush fermentation. Let it go slow and cool. Hot, fast ferments give you harsh, one-dimensional wine.
Oak is expensive but worth it. Cab needs oak. Period. You can use chips or staves if you can’t afford barrels, but some oak influence makes the wine.
Patience isn’t optional. My best batches needed at least two years before they really showed what they could do. The ones I drank early were disappointing.
Blending is an art. Even Bordeaux blends Cabernet with Merlot and other varieties. I add 10-15% Merlot to soften my homemade Cabs. Huge improvement.
Final Thoughts
Cabernet Sauvignon is called the King of Red Wines for good reason. It’s versatile, age-worthy, food-friendly, and expressive of terroir. Whether you’re drinking a $12 Chilean bottle on a Tuesday or a trophy Napa Cab at a celebration, the grape delivers.
Start exploring. Try different regions. Take notes. Your palate will develop, and you’ll find the styles that speak to you. That’s the real joy of wine – the journey never ends.
