However, many people consider that Cabernet Sauvignon is
the “King of Grapes”, and I would not disagree with that. But there are some areas of Australia
where it is almost impossible to properly ripen this grape. In addition, some of the areas where it
grows best have not always treated the grapes in the way they should, resulting
in less than stellar wines. It is
possible that as the climate warms, some areas will ripen Cabernet Sauvignon
more completely. I have heard that
sometimes it is the pips in the grapes that don’t ripen, and this is what gives
wines made from these grapes the “greenness”. But I have no idea if that is true or not. What is known, is that Cabernet
Sauvignon is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, which pleases
the Wine Club member who confused Cab Sav with Sav Blanc in the black glasses
test some time back.
One of the better areas for Cabernet Sauvignon is
Coonawarra, particularly the famed terra rossa soils area. The problem though is that the
Coonawarra delineation covers areas that have terra rossa soils and areas that
don’t have the valuable soils, so the wines produced from these latter areas,
while correctly named Coonawarra, do not show the characteristic aromas and
flavours of the terra rossa. The terra
rossa is a thin band of red soil that is well drained and soils either side of
this band through the middle of Coonawarra are of poorer quality. The red colour comes from iron leaching
into the soil, and imparts a distinctive flavour to the grapes.
Another great area for Cab Sav is the Margaret River area
of WA. What is not often
recognised about the Margaret River is that it wouldn’t have come to be a wine
area without the research of Robert Mondavi. It was this famous American wine maker that searched the World
for areas with a similar climate to Bordeaux in France, and decided that the
Margaret River was particularly suited to Bordeaux grapes and the wines that
make them. He approached
landowners in the area including Denis and Tricia Horgan, and on what was
originally a cattle farm, helped them start Leeuwin Estate Winery in 1972. This has gone on to be one of the most
prestigious wineries in Australia.
I was present at a dinner where the incomparable Len Evans
made the statement that the greatest grape growing regions in Australia have
yet to be found. A staggering
comment, but it may very well be true.
Cheers,