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Napa Valley Cabernet
California · Napa Valley, USA
redDeep purple
Ripe, polished and generous: riper fruit and more new oak than Bordeaux.
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Line up two to four wines the way you'd say them. The guide covers 127 appellations and styles, and spelling doesn't need to be perfect.
Napa Valley Cabernet and Coonawarra Cabernet side by side: structure on the WSET scale, grapes, aromas, drinking window, typical UK price and what to eat with each.
Ripe, polished and generous: riper fruit and more new oak than Bordeaux.
Minty, structured Australian Cabernet.
The shape of each wine, then each measure on the WSET scale.
Napa Valley Cabernet has noticeably more oak influence than Coonawarra Cabernet.
Napa Valley Cabernet: Cabernet Sauvignon, often with some Merlot
Coonawarra Cabernet: Cabernet Sauvignon
| Napa Valley Cabernet | Coonawarra Cabernet | |
|---|---|---|
| Grapes | Cabernet Sauvignon, often with some Merlot | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Climate | Warm Mediterranean with cooling fog | Cool maritime |
| Soil | Volcanic and alluvial benchland | Terra rossa over limestone |
| Classification | AVA, with sub-AVAs such as Oakville and Rutherford | GI |
| Drinking window | 8–25 years | 8–20 years |
| Typical price | £30–£300 | £15–£60 |
| Food | Ribeye, burgers, aged cheddar | Lamb |
| Producers to know | Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Robert Mondavi, Heitz Cellar | Wynns, Balnaves, Penley Estate |