It's easily the wine world's most famous red grape, and while most wine lovers have a general conception of what constitutes a "typical" Cabernet, a deep dive into the history and diversity of this incredible varietal quickly reveals that there's no such thing as typical Cab. From Bordeaux to Napa to the farthest reaches of the Southern Hemisphere, Cab thrives and offers wine enthusiasts nearly unlimited opportunities for exploration, so we invite you to join us a trip around the wide world of Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Renewed Excitement for Napa Valley Cabernet

In July of 2022 I moved with my family to Napa Valley. Despite the Bay Bridge commute testing me at times, the move has been incredible for getting to know the U.S.’s most iconic wine region much more intimately. Observing from afar, it’s easy to lump all of Napa Valley together as an adult “Disneyland” of homogenous, over-priced, over-hyped wines with little sense of place. However, when you get to spend lots of time here—the more you explore, the more back roads you turn down, the more vineyards you walk—it becomes increasingly clear that despite the commercial success and sometimes inflated price points, Napa Valley is undeniably a phenomenal, distinctive, and radically diverse place to grow grapes.

Around the World with Cabernet

Cabernet Sauvignon’s origins are believed to stretch back to France’s Aquitaine region in the 1600s. But it wasn’t until the late 1990s that U.C. Davis researchers determined through genetic testing that this beloved grape is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Sequencing the genome in 2007 unlocked even more valuable insights into the origin, breeding, and characteristics of one of the most beloved cultivars on the planet.

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