How to serve it
a cabernet sauvignon in
Bring the bottle to 16 to 18 degrees. A room is often 21 degrees or warmer these days, which makes cabernet sauvignon taste heavy and alcoholic. If the bottle is in such a room, place it in the refrigerator for half an hour; if it comes from a cool cellar, let it warm up for a little while instead.
Cut around the capsule below the ridge on the neck and wipe the rim of the bottle clean. Place the corkscrew spiral in the center of the cork, turn it straight down until just before the end, and pull the cork out in one smooth motion.
If the wine is young and firmly tannic, decant it first. Contact with air softens the tannins and brings out the fruit; an hour is usually enough. With an older bottle, pour it gently instead and leave the sediment in the bottle.
Pour until the glass is about one-third full, and no more. This leaves room above the wine for swirling, which releases the aromas of blackcurrant and cedarwood. It’s better to top up with a little more wine more often than to fill the glass all at once.
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The story
Cabernet sauvignon comes from Bordeaux, where it originated as a natural cross between cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc; DNA research has demonstrated this connection. The grape has small berries with thick skins, and because the skins provide both the colour and the tannin, each sip contains plenty of both. It ripens late, thrives in warmth and tolerates a long growing season. These qualities made it useful far beyond France: it is widely planted in California, Chile, Australia, South Africa and Italy, making it the most widely planted blue wine grape in the world.
The right glass
Cabernet sauvignon calls for a tall bowl with plenty of capacity, usually 55 to 70 centilitres. This shape gives the wine plenty of surface area in contact with air, making firm tannins feel noticeably rounder, while the slightly tapered rim directs the aromas of blackcurrant and cedarwood towards your nose. A small glass does the opposite, making the wine feel closed and austere. Compare the sizes in the red wine glasses or browse the large wine glasses.
Chef & Sommelier Open Up Tannic Wine Glass 55 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Invino Wine Glass 65 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 98,90.
The right tools
For a cabernet sauvignon, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew and, for a young bottle, a decanter. The bar tools below only come in handy once you use the wine in a sangria: a bar spoon for stirring and a citrus juicer for the orange juice. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 80,85.
What do you serve alongside it?
Cabernet sauvignon rarely stands alone on the table. These are the wines served alongside it during the same meal, from a glass of champagne beforehand to a robust Brunello with the main course. On each drinks page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
In Bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon is almost never alone in the bottle. There, it is blended with merlot, which makes the middle of the palate rounder, and cabernet franc, which adds aroma and freshness. Outside France, it is often bottled on its own: in Napa Valley, Chile and Australia, cabernet sauvignon appears as the only grape on the label, with riper fruit and softer tannin. The same grape, two very different bottles. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and no warmer, otherwise the alcohol comes to the fore. Cabernet sauvignon is best with grilled red meat, a beef or lamb stew, and an aged hard cheese: fat and protein soften the firm tannin in the mouth. With delicate fish, shellfish or a fresh salad, it does not fare as well.
Good to know
Why cabernet sauvignon has so much tannin
The berry is small and the skin is thick. Colour, tannin and some of the aroma are in the skin, so with a small berry there is more skin relative to each drop of juice. This makes the wine dark, full-bodied and long-lived. It is also why air does so much for this wine: oxygen makes the tannin noticeably rounder, whether that happens in a decanter or in a large glass.
That green bell pepper in the glass
If you smell or taste something reminiscent of green bell pepper, it usually comes from grapes that have not ripened fully. Cabernet sauvignon ripens late, so in a cool year or in a cool location, it does not always reach full ripeness. A hint of it is considered characteristic of the grape; if it dominates, the wine has remained on the green side.
Why Bordeaux almost always blends
In Bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon almost always goes together with merlot and cabernet franc. Merlot has rounder tannins and fills out the middle of the palate; cabernet franc brings aroma and freshness. Cabernet sauvignon itself provides the backbone: colour, tannin and ageing potential. The proportions vary by vineyard and by year, and that is exactly why two Bordeaux wines can taste so different.
Vanilla and coconut come from the barrel
That sweet, creamy note in many Cabernet Sauvignons doesn't come from the grape but from the oak barrel. Vanilla is more often associated with French oak, while a coconut-like note is more often associated with American oak. The newer the barrel and the longer the wine remains in it, the more clearly you taste it. A Cabernet Sauvignon without oak tastes much more directly of blackcurrant.
How much alcohol it contains and how long it can age
Cabernet Sauvignon contains roughly 13 to 15 percent alcohol; the exact percentage is stated on the label. Its firm tannins mean it can age for a long time: simple bottles are best within five years or so, while bottles from a better origin can last considerably longer. Once opened, a bottle kept cool with a stopper stays enjoyable for another two to three days.
Frequently asked questions
At what temperature do you serve Cabernet Sauvignon?
Between 16 and 18 degrees. That's cooler than most rooms, so in a warm home, put the bottle in the refrigerator for half an hour. Above twenty degrees, the alcohol comes forward and the wine becomes heavy; below fourteen degrees, the tannins close up and feel rough.
Which glass do you use for Cabernet Sauvignon?
A tall glass of about 55 to 70 centiliters, the style usually called a Bordeaux glass. The space gives the wine air, softening the tannins, while the tapered rim keeps the aromas in the glass. Pour to one-third full and hold the glass by the stem, not the bowl.
Should you decant Cabernet Sauvignon?
With a young, tannic bottle, it makes a noticeable difference: an hour in a decanter makes the wine rounder and more open. With an older bottle, you mainly do it to leave the sediment behind, then pour slowly and don't wait too long. If you don't have a decanter, a large glass with occasional swirling works too.
What do you eat with Cabernet Sauvignon?
Grilled red meat, a beef or lamb stew, and aged hard cheese. Fat and protein soften the firm tannins in the mouth. With light fish, shellfish, or a fresh salad, the wine falls short because it is too full-bodied for them.
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