When stocking up, it is helpful to have a list of good red wine brands. But with a sea of choices, over 100, 000 wines released every year in the U.S. This article, by Winefolly, talks about traits of top Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine brands. Cabernet is the world’s most planted grape.
What Makes Great Cabernet Sauvignon?
If you collect the technical information for the Cabernet blends listed above, you’ll recognize a few themes. Just so you know, what makes a Cabernet taste amazing might not work for other grape varieties.
Extended Oak Aging
The wines are aged in oak, and most are in 100% new French oak for about 22 months.
Unfiltered
Wines are not filtered or fined.
Good Acidity
Wines ranged from 3.4–3.7 pH which is a good runway for longterm aging.
High Alcohol
The average was about 14–14.9% ABV
High Elevation
Wines were from hillside or sloped vineyard locations.
Small Production
Except for maybe the Grand VIN of Bordeaux, the wines are made in small lots with small production methods.
Vintage Matters
The best wines came from the exceptional vintages that happen about once every 5 years.
While the brands above are unobtainable (unless you don’t mind shelling out $10–25 per sip), you can still glean information about what makes them great. Then, next time you have a craving for the perfect Cabernet, look up the technical information to help you decide.