red grape

Cabernet Sauvignon

Warmer climates bring jammy black fruit; cooler zones lift the green, herbal side.

Known as: Cab Sauv, Petit Cabernet

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted and most famous red grape variety in the world. Born on the gravel banks of Bordeaux as a cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, it is the engine of the world's great red wines.

Its tough skins, high tannin and acidity let it age for decades, and it expresses the signature aromas of blackcurrant, cedar and graphite. From Bordeaux to Napa Valley to Coonawarra, it defines what red wine should be.

For the buyer, Cabernet is the benchmark of age-worthy red wine - powerful, structured and endlessly rewarding, whether from a £10 entry bottle or a grand cru.

Flavour & Aroma Profile

Aroma

blackcurrantbell peppermintgraphiteoak

Flavour

blackcurrantcassisgreen peppercedartobacco

Food Pairing

· grilled steak
· roast beef
· lamb
· mature cheddar
· dark chocolate

Notable Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

Curated top picks first, then other wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon.

★ Top Pick

Screaming Eagle

Napa Valley · 2024 (representative vintage)

Screaming Eagle is an red wine from United States, in the Napa Valley region (Northern California, a valley in Napa County, north of San Francisco Bay.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The cult Napa Cabernet that started the modern collector frenzy — allocated, minuscule production, impossibly sought-after.

$2500–$4000 est. retail

★ Top Pick

Château Latour

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Latour is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The monumental Pauillac First Growth, long famed for its dense, age-defying Cabernet power.

$800–$1500 est. retail

★ Top Pick

Château Haut-Brion

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Haut-Brion is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The oldest and smallest First Growth, from the gravel slopes of Pessac-Léognan — the only First Growth outside Pauillac.

$750–$1400 est. retail

★ Top Pick

Château Margaux

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Margaux is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The grand vin of the First Growth estate — a benchmark of Bordeaux elegance.

$700–$1200 est. retail

Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The second wine of Château Margaux — early-drinking Bordeaux elegance at a fraction of the grand vin.

$180–$320 est. retail

Château Lafite Rothschild

Bordeaux · 2024 (representative vintage)

Château Lafite Rothschild is an red wine from France, in the Bordeaux region (Southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.), made principally from Cabernet Sauvignon. The grand vin of a First Growth Pauillac — one of the most famous and collected wines in the world.

$650–$1400 est. retail