AUSTRALIAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cabernet Sauvignon arrived in Australia in the James Busby collection in 1832, and despite early challenges, it has since become one of Australia’s true wine success stories. Today, the wine drinkers of Australia affectionately know Cabernet Sauvignon as Cab Sauv.

In Australia Cabernet grows in the moderate to warm climates of Coonawarra, Margaret River, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Langhorne Creek. It also performs well in the cool climate regions of Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Pyrenees and Yarra Valley.

Learn more about Australian Cabernet Sauvignon

WHAT IS CABERNET SAUVIGNON?

Cabernet Sauvignon grown in most major wine-producing countries, making it one of the most popular red wine varieties in the world.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a red wine grape whose origins are believed to have occurred in 17th-century France through a chance crossbreeding of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

While relatively young compare to other grapes, it’s since become one of the world’s most popular red wine varieties. It is grown in almost every major wine-producing country, from America to Canada, France, Lebanon, Spain, and, of course, Australia.

It may not have the popularity of Shiraz, but Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape behind some of the world’s most noble wines. Big, brooding and flavoursome, Australian Cabernet Sauvignon has come to be regarded as among the world’s best.

IS CABERNET SAUVIGNON RED OR WHITE?

Cabernet Sauvignon is a red wine crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and is one of the world’s most recognized red wine varieties. It’s a bolder style red wine and is has a similar weight to Merlot, Shiraz and Tempranillo.

WHAT GRAPE IS CABERNET SAUVIGNON?

Cabernet Sauvignon is the so-called ‘King’ of wine grapes. It is a thick-skinned, hardy, disease-resistant variety that has led to it being the most cultivated grape on earth. When planted in sympathetic environs, it can produce wines with power, elegance, structure, and complexity.

IS CABERNET SAUVIGNON DRY OR SWEET?

Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry wine. It is fuller-bodied style, with firm tannins, and similar in weight to Merlot, Shiraz, and Tempranillo.

WHAT DOES AUSTRALIAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON TASTE LIKE?

Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like a rich palate of black fruits like blackcurrant, black cherry and plum, with varietal characters of liquorice, mint, cedar and even eucalyptus. The best Cabernets can age for many years – even decades – softening over time while retaining their fruit characteristics.

Several factors beyond where a Cabernet Sauvignon is grown determine its intensity, complexity, and longevity. How the vines are managed, the winemaker’s approach in the winery, and how oak is used in the maturing process all impact the wine’s intensity.

BEST FOOD PAIRINGS FOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cabernet Sauvignon is best paired with barbeques and slow-cooked meats. Cabernets black fruits with firm tannins and high acidity make it a perfect match with protein-heavy meals, especially lamb and firm cheeses.'

BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON AUSTRALIA

Naming Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon is a big ask. The following wineries are just some of the country’s leaders who consistently deliver celebrated world-class wines.

Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon

Undoubtedly one of Australia’s most famous producers, Penfolds has been crafting exceptional South Australian reds since 1844. They seek the best fruit from Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, and McLaren Vale, each contributing its unique terroir to its blends.

Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon

Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon has been an archetypal expression since 1972 and possesses all the hallmarks of the finest Margaret River Cabernet: elegance, power and ageability.

Reschke Cabernet Sauvignon

In 1989, Burke Reschke, the fourth generation in the family, decided to develop his family’s Coonawarra farmland into vineyards. These vineyards, in turn, produce exceptional fruit and some Australia’s icon wines, including their R.S.R Cabernet Sauvignon, Empyrean Cabernet Sauvignon, Vitulus Cabernet Sauvignon

Robert Oatley Cabernet Sauvignon

Robert Oatley Wines celebrates the memory of founder Bob Oatley through a trio of labels: the maritime-influenced Signature Series, the specific vineyard-focused Finisterre, and the best of the best barrels under The Pennant. Fruit is sourced from Margaret River and McLaren Vale producing stunning wines like their Robert Oatley Signature Series Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.

Taylors Cabernet Sauvignon

Taylors have crafted great Australian wines in the Clare Valley for three generations. They understand that truly great wines are made in the vineyard with their St Andrews, Master Stroke, TWP Reserve, Jaraman and The Visionary labels releasing some of Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon.

WHAT REGION IN AUSTRALIA MAKES THE BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON?

Cabernet Sauvignon’s star truly began to rise in the 1970s, with the success of Coonawarra and Margaret River Cabernets, which attracted acclaim for their intense fruit flavours and tight structure. These two regions are generally considered the home of the country’s best Cabernet Sauvignon, though other regions – among them Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley in South Australia, Mount Barker in Western Australia and Victoria’s Yarra Valley – have also seen considerable success with the variety.

Join our Tasting Panel Co-Chair Adam Walls as he shares his insights into why Western Australia’s Margaret River and Great Southern are two of the country’s greatest regions for Cabernet .

COONAWARRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

The best examples of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon are considered among the world’s purest and most captivating expressions. In part, this is because of the terra rossa soils, the nutrients and acidity of which are primary contributors to the ageability of the resulting wines. Rich and deep in colour, their firm tannin structure often makes them challenging to drink while young, but after settling for a few years the tannins integrate with the primary fruit characters to leave a more rounded impression, with attractive secondary complexity.

MARGARET RIVER CABERNET SAUVIGNON

The Margaret River wine region is blessed with one of the best grape-growing climates in the world. This pure maritime climate allows a slow and full ripening period with little disease pressure. Margaret River Cabernet is arguably one of Australia’s best. The wines are medium to full-bodied in style – flush with blackcurrant and bay leaf (a regional signature). For many, the highlight is the tannins of Margaret River Cabernet. Suave and polished with latent power are hallmarks.

BAROSSA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON

The Barossa Valley is home to what is considered the oldest continually producing Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the world: Penfolds Kalimna Block 42. Barossa Cabernet is rich, opulent and riper in fruit with softer tannins than Coonawarra or Margaret River. Each region’s differing climate and soils result in characteristic flavour profiles expressing the variety in many ways. As in Bordeaux, it is often used in blends. Typically paired with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, or Shiraz to great effect, it has been an instrumental component in some of Australia’s best dry red wines.

LANGHORNE CREEK CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for around 29% of Langhorne Creek wine production and has been the highly prized component behind many of Australia’s famous red blends since the 1960s. Late-ripening, Langhorne Creek Cabernet is almost the stuff of legend. It is dominated by blackcurrant and plum characters with notes of chocolate, mint and eucalyptus. These are full-flavoured yet elegant wines that are ideal for drinking now or cellaring.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON VS SHIRAZ?

Although Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz can share some similar characteristics, they are made from two different grape varieties that produce different wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon has a rich palate of black fruits like blackcurrant, black cherry and plum, with varietal characters of liquorice, mint, cedar and even eucalyptus. The best Cabernets can age for many years – even decades – softening over time while retaining their fruit characters.

Shiraz is generally best known for its rich, dark fruit palate of blackberry and plum, with savoury notes of leather, earth, pepper and, but like all premium wine varieties, it is exceptionally versatile and able to express both the region it hails from as well as reflect the winemaker’s influence.

HOW TO BUY CABERNET SAUVIGNON FROM WINE SELECTORS?

Want the best Australian Cabernet Sauvignon delivered to your doorstep? With Wine Selectors, you can explore Australia’s top Cabernets from the comfort of your home. Order a mixed Cabernet Sauvignon case at a great discount of 20% off the RRP, or sign up for a Customised Cabernet Sauvignon subscription or Varietal subscription to enjoy Cabernet styles handpicked just for you.

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