Cabernets from Around the World

Powerful. Opulent. Hedonistic. Full, and rich, decadent, known for their drink-now deliciousness, most are also made to age in a cool dark cellar while unimaginable complexities develop with years of bottle aging. Of course, we’re talking about Cabernet Sauvignon—one of the wine world’s greatest treasures. This singular grape lays the foundation for the absolute best wines, from the greatest estates, and bears the mark of more 100-point winemakers than any other grape in existence. In celebration of International Cabernet Day, we’ve put together a set of Cabernets from around the world that show the diversity and brilliance of this hallowed variety. Transport yourself to various regions around the world and taste the influence of the terroir in each bottle.    

 

WINE SET INCLUDES:

 

2015 Casarena Cabernet Sauvignon Owen's Vineyard Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza

Standing in front of the 87-year-old Cabernet vines planted at 3,700 feet elevation in Owen’s Vineyard (at nearly twice the height of Napa’s tallest peak) with the Andes towering westward makes for a surreal viewing experience. Then comes the wine culled from these grapes—vibrant and concentrated with the impeccable flavors and structure only possible from old-vine concentration. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate pinned on 94 points, praising its “very good depth” and “perfect ripeness.” If this single-vineyard Cabernet said “Napa” on the label instead of Mendoza, you’d be on the hook for double, if not triple the price.

 

2013 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River

We love a good simile. And James Suckling gave us the best one ever when he called Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon “the Mouton-Rothschild of Australia.” So, then, just how does this Australian First Growth compare to the tried and true Bordeaux First Growths? In 2013, from Mouton to Margaux, Suckling rated the First Growths 94-95 points. As for the “hard not to drink now” Leeuwin? It earned a whopping 96 points. When you compare the triple-digit prices of the Bordeaux Growths to the 2013 Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River—it’s a no-brainer. Sumptuous aromas of black currants, chocolate, cedar and a cool minty underbrush note, round and generous.

 

2014 Vice Versa Le Petit Vice Cabernet Sauvignon

100-point winemaker Philippe Melka’s touch with Cabernet is nothing short of golden: According to Robert Parker, one of Melka’s 2014 Vice Versa wines “flirts with perfection,” and it’s “hard not to be impressed” with the whole lineup. The 93-point 2014 “Le Petit Vice” shows the skill that Melka applied at Bryant Family, Dana Estates, and Hundred Acre. Blended from prestigious Napa sites like the coveted Stagecoach Vineyard, and the Beckstoffer To Kalon, Dr. Crane, and Las Piedras sites, James Suckling praises it as “full-bodied and dense yet vivid and bright.” Melka wines are practically unattainable, and Wine Access is one of a select few in the U.S. offering Vice Versa.

 

2015 Chateau Malescasse Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux

From the extraordinary 2015 vintage that Wine Spectator hails as “easily the best vintage since 2010,” this is a chewy black-and-red-fruited Haut-Médoc stunner. James Suckling gave it a laudatory 93-94 points, praising its “wonderful richness and depth” and how it “goes on for minutes.” Antonio Galloni of Vinous found it a “wine of energy and real class” that “is super-impressive today.” This over-achieving effort bears the fingerprints of Bordeaux mastermind Stéphane Derenoncourt, who has authored multiple 100-pointers. Whether you drink now or rest it for a decade, Malescasse is unquestionably one the Left Bank’s most impressive finds.

 

2012 Hesperian Anatomy No.1 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

This Napa Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Robert Parker’s “game-changer” vintage from—the “greatest vintage I’ve tasted in 37 years,” he said. From gifted winemaker Philippe Langner, who got his start at the Rothschild family’s Château Clarke in Bordeaux, it’s a marvelous, plush, silky, and rich rendition of this classic vintage.