Cabernet Sauvignon wine

Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the world's most popular red grape. Although its spiritual home is Bordeaux in France, it's grown practically everywhere now – from Australia to Argentina. It varies in price and quality. You can find it in approachable table wines as well as exquisite, world-renowned bottles.

Although Cabernet Sauvignon has been grown in Italy since 1820, it didn't grab the public's attention until the mid-1970's when pioneering winemakers started blending it with Sangiovese to create Super Tuscan wines.

Today it can be found in DOC wines like Monferrato DOC, where it's blended with native grapes Barberba and Nebbiolo. In northern Italy, winemakers often combine Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot for an Italian twist on the classic Bordeaux taste.

What does it taste like? Warm climate Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like black fruits, particularly blackcurrant. In cooler climates, it's more herbal with notes of green bell pepper. In Italy, it usually tastes like ripe black cherries, so is used to add sweetness and structure to blends.