Super Glossary

Cabernet Sauvignon

Life Style / Wine Grapes / Cabernet Sauvignon: A 'noble' grape famous as one of the main varieties, along with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and others used to create the magnificent french Bordeaux region blended red wines. This variety has several alias names such as Petit Cabernet, Petite Vidure and Vidure. (The latter name is the one used by those who subscribed to the now dubious theory that it was the original vine from which the c?page originated). Where grown in Italy it is sometimes referred to as the Uva Francese. Although recorded as present in the Bordeaux region since at least the 17th century, parental provenance has always been unsure. Recent research, (Meredith and Bowers, 'Nature Genetics Journal' 5-97), has unexpectedly discovered that the original parents of this variety were Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc, an astounding reversal of previous assumptions. A 'hard' grape, it helps make wines of classic breed, intensity and complexity that often need to bottle-age for at least 5-10 years in order to reach peak flavor condition. The most successful plantings in North America are mainly on Long Island (N.Y.) and the cooler regions of northern California. The vine is quite cold-hardy, although it acclimates slowly and can be injured by cold freezes in December and early January. In New York state the recommended rootstock graft is 3309. It has a late bud break, is relatively resistant to cracking and bunch rots, has vigorous growth and ripens in late October. In the warmer regions of California, grapes made into a single varietal wine will often produce higher than optimum levels of alcohol due to high sugar content and, conversely, lower than optimum acid levels in most years and so may tend to age less successfully than the blended french versions. Aromas and flavors include: Black-currant, blackberry, mint (etc). In the last decades of the twentieth century many other countries have seen their regions develop into prime producers - (e.g: Argentina, Chile, Italy and New Zealand). Around 1989 a light-skinned vine mutation variety was propagated in W. Australia that has recently (1999) been registered under the name Cygne Blanc. Wine made from this mutation is described as having a neutral aroma with much body and weight followed by a strong Cabernet blackcurrant fruit content on the palate.
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