Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely planted red varieties in the world, prized for firm tannins, dark fruit and structure that rewards a few years in the cellar as much as drinking young. Bordeaux remains its spiritual home, where it's traditionally blended with Merlot, though Australia has built a strong reputation with riper, more generous styles out of Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley, and New Zealand's Hawke's Bay produces a leaner, more structured take shaped by its warmer climate. It's a reliable match for red meat, aged cheese, or anything off the grill, and holds its own against rich, hearty dishes. For the Bordeaux blend itself, Merlot is worth a look, Hawke's Bay Wine and Australian Wine cover the regional range, and Red Wine opens things up further.