Some say that Cabernet Sauvignon is “king of the red wine grapes, the colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows.”
The varietal is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grapes and is grown in nearly every major wine producing country in the world. It’s so popular, it even has its own official day, which is always on the Thursday before the American Labour Day holiday every year.
To arm you for dinnertime conversations from now and until eternity, this list has oodles of info about this specifically robust red.
- There have been some crazy theories about Cabs origin
As no one was sure of its origins, there were all sorts of wild theories. One popular speculation was that Cab grapes were actually a kind of Biturica grape, an ancient variety popular in 1st century Rome (and not a form of nerd cryptocurrency). - In 1996, they found out its TRUE origin
That year, Dr. Carole Meredith at UC Davis used the grape’s genetic material to determine that Cabernet Sauvignon grape is actually a mix of Cabernet Franc, which has a light, peppery flavour with some fruity notes, and Sauvignon Blanc, which ranges in flavour from sweet and tangy to very grassy. Cabernet Sauvignon, their lovechild, was first noted in the 17th century in the Bordeaux region of France, and probably came about by accident. - It is the most planted variety in Chile
Chile has taken seriously to Cabernet Sauvignon. The cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean and the induction effect of the Andes Mountains produces Bordeaux-style (cool-climate) Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. The French took note of Chile’s amazing agricultural potential and several large chateaus have invested in the region. This is why you’ll find many Chilean bottles of wine labelled in a similar fashion to Bordeaux. - Cabernet grapes can grow in the desert
In the eastern part of Washington State, there are regions that only get 6 inches of rain a year but still yield high scores from wine connoisseurs. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are even grown in the Gobi. - The most expensive wine ever sold (at auction) was a Cabernet Sauvignon
