Cabernet Sauvignon - Wine Styles
The flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon largely depends on the ripeness of the grapes during harvest. If the grapes are less ripe, they contain more pyrazines, which result in strong flavors of vegetables and green pepper.
On the other hand, overripe grapes can produce wines with jammy notes and an aroma of stewed blackcurrants.
To increase the complexity of the wine, some winemakers choose to harvest grapes at different stages of ripeness, resulting in the inclusion of various components. Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wine is famous for its rich notes of black cherry and plum when young.
Popularity and Criticisms
Throughout the 1900s, Cabernet Sauvignon was widely recognized as a “noble grape” in the wine industry due to its past achievements in Bordeaux and other New World places like California and Australia. This grape has been a reliable choice for warm-climate wine regions. Cabernet consumers often consider it a well-known and accessible wine.
In the 1980s, the Bulgarian wine industry entered the global wine market thanks to its exceptional results with Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
However, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have been criticized for displacing unique local varieties in emerging wine regions due to the popularity of Bordeaux.
In regions like Portugal, where local grape varieties abound, Cabernet Sauvignon has been overlooked in an attempt to revitalize the wine industry, currently dominated by Port wine production.
