Photo by VIVC - Vitis International Variety Catalogue
Description
Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Bordeaux region and is a cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc). Both bunches and berries are small. When the grapes are fully ripe they give deep colour and firm, fine tannins, and the wines age well in oak. Picked underripe, they taste green and vegetal, so it needs a long, warm season to develop its riper, more complex aromas.
Characteristics
Black wine grape; small bunches; small berries; deep colour and firm tannins; mid-season ripening (late September to early October); late budbreak; vigorous with long shoots; not very susceptible to grey rot; very susceptible to powdery mildew and trunk diseases
Growing Tips
Cabernet Sauvignon buds late, which helps it avoid spring frosts, but it needs a long, warm season and a sunny, well-drained site. Its long, vigorous shoots need careful tying in. Avoid large pruning wounds, as the vine is very susceptible to trunk diseases, and keep powdery mildew under control. Grey rot is rarely a problem.