Eight Cabernet Sauvignon Wines for Every Occasion

(SPOT.ph) To celebrate Cabernet Sauvignon Day, we have come up with a list of Cabernet Sauvignon wines for different occasions. Here are our recommended Cabernet Sauvignon wines for when you’re…

...on a budget

Caliterra Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Chile has always been famous for producing quality Cabernet Sauvignon wines without breaking the bank. Most wine scholars would say that Maipo is the ultimate Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon region, but Colchagua ranks up there in terms of making beautiful, full-bodied Cabs… less expensive, too. I highly recommend this with yummy Chilean empanadas. The flavorful pork dish with hard boiled eggs, raisins, and black olives perfectly matches the acidity and richness of a Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon.

...feeling bougie

Opus One Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Nothing screams “bougie” more than a wine whose label symbolizes Napa extravagance. This masterpiece is the creation of two of the biggest names in wine production: Legendary French winemaker Baron Philippe de Rothschild and the premier California winemaker Robert Mondavi. For additional bougie points, the 2016 can be kept a little longer in the cellar and opened for the perfect fancy occasion after about 7-10 years. A recent tasting of an Opus One 2016 involved noting an impeccably balanced nose of dark fruits, florals, and spices, with a velvety texture and flavors of dark cherries and blackberries. So worth the price tag.

...cooking at home

Yalumba The Menzies Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 I personally find that an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon is really good to pair with roasts and gamey, grilled red meat dishes. It may be because of the eucalyptus notes and flavors that tend to be prevalent in Australian red wine, which give a refreshing dimension when pairing with flavorful food. Coonawarra is also regarded for producing some of the best Aussie Cabernet Sauvignons. The region is known for wines with a richly concentrated style that does not lose the menthol aromas. I’d have anything that has to do with an Aussie barbie with it: steak, sausages, lamb chops… I’d even pair it with an Australian meat pie, which is made with gravy and minced meat.

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...having a deep conversation with friends

Banfi Summus IGT 2018 Maybe it’s the wino in me, but a Super Tuscan has always merited conversation between me and my friends. It’s probably because it’s not a typical Italian wine classification. Simply put, a Super Tuscan is a red wine from Tuscany that may include non-native Italian grapes such as a Cabernet Sauvignon. The Banfi Summus is also a heady wine that is meant to be inhaled and dissected which means… more conversation. “Did you smell the blackberries? The jam? The Christmas spices, the cigar, the coffee…?”

...nerding out on wine

Rustenberg “Peter Barlow” Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Very few people outside local wine circles talk about the beauty of a South African Cabernet Sauvignon…. And it’s a shame. In fact, well-versed winos tend to go for a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stellenbosch region of South Africa when a left bank Bordeaux is prohibitive (such as those coming from Medoc, Margaux, Saint-Julien). The Rustenberg “Peter Barlow” wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and has rich powerful flavors of dark berries and tobacco.

...in need of a laugh

19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon Who wouldn’t find it fun to find their face on a bottle of wine, complete with a sign depicting their “crime”? I have one in my office, and it always makes me – and whoever I show it to – laugh (because of course mine had to say Criminal Mastermind). People can order personalized bottles from online suppliers and get creative with their “crimes.” The wine is named after Australia’s rather “colorful” past, which involved being a penal colony for English criminals who committed one (or more) of nineteen crimes (such as theft and larceny).

...watching your favorite artsy French film

Château Giscours Margaux 2016 Just like soju is ever-present in every K-drama, a bottle/glass of red wine seems to be integrated in every French production. Apart from the fact that a Château Giscours is, well… French, I chose it because I’d rather watch a French film with an elegant Bordeaux. I like how the tannin of the 2016 isn’t as aggressive as a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon wines, which means I could watch a film without drying my gums up to uncomfortable levels. Trivia: Some of the staff in the château’s dining room are Filipino.

...you want to impress your date

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Napa Valley Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Smart is always sexy… and knowing the historical significance of Stag’s Leap (then surreptitiously inserting it during a date night conversation) is just, smart. The winery is legendary for its role in the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Their 1973 vintage was deemed the best in the red wine category during a blind tasting, beating out several historic first and second growth Bordeaux. This moment in wine history subsequently put Napa on the map. While their flagship Cask 23 might be a little prohibitive, the Artemis is much more accessible.

Gail Sotelo is, according to her Two Shots and a Pint website where she writes a lot about wines, "a WSET Level 3 Advanced Certificate holder and a beverage and food service consultant for restaurants in the Philippines and Hong Kong. She used to be a faculty member for the School of Hotel and Restaurant in De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and is now an on-call instructor of The Study by Enderun, where she enjoys sharing her passion for wine. She constantly travels to different parts of the world to continue learning about global drink cultures."

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