Why is Cabernet Sauvignon so popular?
It is the complete package: elegance, power, complexity, consistency, acidity, and aging. Even Cabernet Sauvignon’s that don’t reach those heights are dependable and high-quality.
What is the origin of Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cabernet Sauvignon translates to ‘wild cabernet’ in French. It is a natural cross between red grape Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc from Médoc in Bordeaux.
When did Cabernet Sauvignon arrive in South Africa?
It is uncertain when Cabernet Sauvignon arrived in South Africa, but in the 1920’s it was identified as a cultivar that produces good quality wine. The rest is history as they say!
What about terroir?
It is known to thrive in a variety of soil types and climates and certainly influences the taste of the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards can be found in Stellenbosch, the Swartland, Tulbagh and up to Robertson.
When do we harvest Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cabernet Sauvignon is the last to bud and ripen in the season and we harvest it as late as the end of March. If the grapes are anything less than fully ripe, the wine can smell of crushed green leaves, more like cabernet franc.
What is the taste profile?
A typical taste profile is high in acidity and tannin, with medium to full body and black fruit notes of black berry, vegetable notes of green pepper and spicy notes of vanilla when aged in oak.
Does it age well?
Cabernet is synonymous with high tannins and higher tannins tend to age better. Tannins come from contact to the pips and skins of the grapes during wine making and from oak aging. Wines with a good balance between grape and wood tannins slowly give way to a smoother texture and age well.
Want to learn more about our Cabernet Sauvignon wines?
Here is what to expect from the Paserene Marathon. This wine from our Tulbagh wine farm leads with black fruit as the primary nosing and tasting element. There are black cherries and black currants, cassis and creme cassis, dried black cherry jam, with notes of figs and fruitcake. The palate is dense and rich with sweet tannins that are well integrated.
On the nose, you are welcomed by ripe black cherries, black currants, cassis, and rich fruit cake. These warm aromas lead the way to more mineral scents of crushed rocks, graphite, and slate. You will also find notes of charred toast and smoke.
On the palate the tannins, fruit, and alcohol are in perfect harmony. There are sumptuous warm flavours of dried figs, sticky cherry jam, and savoury liquorice. The minerality is continued in the palate with graphite and slate to cut through the richness.
An elegant palate is rounded off with tannins, but it is by no means harsh or bitter. Our Marathon is the one of the most authentic representations of Tulbagh red wine that Paserene has available.
What to expect from the Elements Midnight. The nose on the Midnight has strong mineral undertones, with expressive aromas of cassis, liquorice and black berries. There are supple tannins on the palate to provide a rounded flavour and a deliciously dry mouth-feel.
On the nose, you are met with dark notes of black cherry, cassis, and liquorice which make the mouth water instantly.
The palate carries these aromas through, with succulent berry flavours complemented by rich vanilla undertones. There is a minerality that balances out the richness, with iodine and tannins making for an interesting first sip. You will also find flavours of woodsmoke and an earthiness that gives our Midnight a lingering, meaty finish.
The Midnight wine from our Tulbagh wine estate is the best example of this terroir’s propensity for developing grapes that have deep aromas and meaty flavours.