International Cabernet Day
This holiday was started by Rick Bakas in 2010, and there is a bit of discrepancy about the exact date. It is either the 30th of August, the Thursday before Labour Day, or the first Thursday in September. After I trudged through the internet, the consensus was the Thursday before Labor Day. This year that is August 29th, so that is when we are celebrating (feel free to also celebrate on the 30th or September 5th; I mean, why not?).
So Rick was working at St. Supéry Winery in Napa. For him, this holiday was a way to fill in consumers on these grapes! People have questions! Not everyone is a wine expert! So this was a way to share this info on two of the world’s most beloved grapes!
First, let’s be clear: this is Cabernet Day. Which means Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, or any Cabernet Blend!
Cabernet Sauvignon
It is known for cult wines like “Screaming Eagle” or “Sine Qua Non” in Napa or Château Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux. These bottles will set you back a pretty penny. Why is that? Well, there are a couple of reasons. Cabernet is a grape with quite a bit of tannin. (That’s the astringent compound, like sucking on a tea bag.) To tame the tannins, this wine is aged in French oak, and French oak barrels are expensive. This is also a late-ripening grape, so it can be a bit tricky to grow, and in some years, it will not ripen as well. This is where vintage charts for Bordeaux come into play.
The other reason? Supply and demand. People place this wine and grape on a pedestal and revere wineries that have made beautiful bottles of this juice, and it becomes a status symbol. Even if you are not a big wine aficionado, you will likely have heard of Lafite Rothschild and Screaming Eagle. They are like the Rolex of wine.
I’ll be honest, Cabernet Sauvignon is not the first wine I reach for. My budget is definitely not “Screaming Eagle.” Cabernet Sauvignon can be big and high in alcohol, and often, it needs to age in a bottle to mellow out the pyrazines (those green pepper notes) and the super-drying tannins. I’m not that patient. But I have discovered some delicious Cabernet Sauvignons from places like Washington State. Walla Walla and the Yakima Valley are producing some delicious wines, and the Red Mountain AVA is a stand out for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular wine in the world and the second most widely planted grape of any kind (it is beat out for that title by Kyoho, a table grape originating in Japan).
Cabernet Sauvignon can have notes of black cherry, black currant, graphite, cedar, baking spices, pepper (think white pepper or peppercorns), chocolate, tobacco, mint, and blackberry.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is actually a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon! It is the best-known red grape in the Loire Valley of France, where it is sometimes called Breton.
Cabernet Franc buds early and ripens early. In Bordeaux, it is typically a supporting player to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has less in the way of tannins than Cab Sav and higher acidity. It adds freshness to blends and brings beautiful aromatics. It does, however, have those pyrazines that I mentioned earlier in abundance, depending on when it is picked.
Cabernet Franc can have notes of strawberry, raspberry, dried herbs, cherry, licorice, coffee, tobacco leaf, crushed gravel, cassis, violet, and pepper (like green bell pepper or chili peppers like poblano.)
While it is known for blending, you will find some fantastic single variety Cabernet Francs out there! My friend Lori Budd of Dracaena Wines in Paso Robles makes a couple of delicious award-winning Cabernet Francs in Paso Robles, California. There are also delicious Cabernet Francs in Washington and this variety does really well in Virginia!
With lower tannins, it needs less oak and less aging time, although with it’s high acidity, it can age very well. I find it has a freshness and elegance. When I find those violet notes, I’m over the moon.
Blends – Bordeaux Style, Meritage, or Super Tuscans
Together, these 2 grapes are found in many Bordeaux wines, which also often include Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. In California, these Bordeaux varieties are blended and called “Meritage” (don’t be fancy with pronunciation; this rhymes with “Heritage”). In Italy, they might be blended with Sangiovese, Merlot, and Syrah to make a Super Tuscan Wine. In Australia, you will find it blended with Shiraz.
I will leave links to articles with suggestions for some of our favorite Cabs and blends from around the globe below.
So grab a bottle (I suggest a blend) and celebrate!
Happy #InternationalCabernetDay
Wines from Around the Globe to Celebrate International Cabernet Day!
From Italy
From France
- Finding the right wine for Romance…we chose a trip to the Loire.
- Cab Franc – Sailing the Loire with a Pirate Princess
- Un repas de Noël pour les fêtes de fin d’année (A Christmas Dinner for the end of the year celebrations) with wine.
- Languedoc – does it need to find itself?
From California
- Krupp Brothers – wines of the iconic Stagecoach Vineyard and beyond
- Episode 7 The Scenic Route Driving Route 29 through Napa Valley and enjoying wine tasting with horses at Tamber Bey
From Washington
- Cabernet Franc Merlot a limited rare gem from L’Ecole No 41 in Walla Walla Washington
- The Scenic Route Day 9 Through the Columbia Gorge to spend an afternoon being spoiled at Caprio Cellars in Walla Walla
- Valentine’s Day Spoil yourself and maybe someone else with 3 delicious pairing menus, 1 for every palate and a L’Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
- Yakima Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with JB Neufeld
- Yakima Valley AVA – Blends of friendship and history with wines from Eight Bells and Pearl and Stone Co.
- The Valley Grove Vineyard and the future of Armstrong Family Winery
- Red Mountain AVA Yakima Valley Washington
From Oregon
- Leah Jørgensen Cellars 2017 Rosé of Cabernet Franc
- Tour Rain Vin Rouge Leah Jørgensen Cellars
- Blanc de Cab Franc. What?
From Argentina
From Uruguay
From Moldova
From Australia
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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