Faq

Is Cabernet Sauvignon dry or sweet?

Most Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry red wine. While rare, slightly sweet, or dessert-style wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes can be found at your local Total Wine & More. Just ask one of our Total Wine Professionals in our stores for a recommendation!

Is Cabernet the same as Cabernet Sauvignon?

In most cases, when the word Cabernet on its own, it is referring to wines made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. However, there is a grape called Cabernet Franc, which has similar flavors but tends to more red fruit and spice notes than Cabernet Sauvignon. As a general rule of thumb, if people say Cabernet, they are referring to Cabernet Sauvignon.

What does Cabernet taste like?

Cabernet Sauvignon wines can vary in taste depending on where the grapes were grown, the type of soil, the weather, what type of barrels the wine is aged in, and how old the wine is. Most Cabernet Sauvignon wines show flavors of fruits like cherry, blackberry, and plum; spices like vanilla and clove and other notes like bittersweet chocolate, cedar, sweet tobacco, and mushrooms.

Younger Cabernets from warm areas tend to have darker fruit flavors, including black plums, black currants, and blueberries. Wines from cooler areas show more red fruits such as tart cherries and strawberries. The fruit flavors soften when the wine gets about five years old, and more earthy flavors of graphite, cedar, mushrooms, and spices can emerge.

What country makes the best Cabernet Sauvignon?

The Cabernet Sauvignon grape was first made into wine in the Bordeaux region of France, and for many people, Bordeaux is best. However, many acclaimed Cabs are also coming from Australia, California, and Italy (Tuscany). A list of the most sought after and expensive wines in the world are Cabs like Screaming Eagle from Napa Valley, Château Cheval Blanc, Chateau Lafitte Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Château Margaux from Bordeaux, and Penfolds Block 42 Cabernet from Australia.

How do you drink a Cabernet Sauvignon?

The best way to drink a Cabernet Sauvignon wine is slightly chilled (about 60-65°). To make sure it is at the right temperature, let it cool inside the refrigerator for 20 minutes before uncorking the bottle. Drink it out of a wine glass with a large bowl that tapers at the top to enjoy all of the wine’s aromas.

Do you chill Cabernet Sauvignon?

Serving Cabernet Sauvignon wine just slightly chilled will help the wine taste more smooth. Red wines are typically served at 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Just place Cabernet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving, and it will be chilled enough.

Does refrigerating red wine ruin it?

Refrigeration does not ruin red wine; red wine like Cabernet and all wines should be stored in a cooler part of your home or a wine refrigerator. Even if you do not have a wine refrigerator, store your Cab and all wine out of the sun, in a place with a constant temperature and where it won’t get jostled around. All these things ensure that the wine will taste good as it ages. Once it’s uncorked, you can keep a red wine in the refrigerator for four or five days.

What foods go with Cabernet Sauvignon?

Cabernet Sauvignon has a bold flavor profile with a balance of fruit, alcohol, tannin, and acidity. Cab goes best with foods that have a similarly bold flavor profile, such as beef steak and brisket, braised short ribs, lamb burgers, game and fowl, hearty pasta dishes, grilled mushrooms, and zesty cheeses like gruyere, aged gouda, and cheddar.

Want to learn more about wine and cheese pairings? Visit our Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide!

Which country makes the best Cabernet in the world?

That’s hard to say, since the best Cabernet depends on your taste. Old World Cabernet from France tends to be lighter with softer fruit, more bright acidity, while Napa Cabs are bigger with higher alcohol and more bold fruit flavors.

Most Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, such as Stags Leap, are at least $80 to $100 a bottle. By contrast, Cabernet from Chile, Washington State, and smaller chateaux in Bordeaux, France, can often be incredible values for the price.

Is Cabernet Sauvignon a sweet red wine?

While Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are sweet, the finished wine typically is made in a dry style. That is because the sugar in Cabernet juice is fermented into alcohol during the winemaking process.