Editing Cabernet Sauvignon (section)

===Bordeaux===
[[File:Château d'Armailhacq 53 detail.JPG|left|thumb|Armand d'Armailhac of [[Château d'Armailhac]] ''(bottle picture)'' and Baron Hector de Brane of Château Mouton were important figures in the establishment of Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux.]]
The [[Bordeaux wine region]] is intimately connected with Cabernet Sauvignon, even though wine is rarely made without the blended component of other grape varieties. It is the likely place of origin of the vine, and producers across the globe have invested heavily in trying to reproduce the structure and complexity of Bordeaux wines. While the "Bordeaux blend" of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot created the earliest examples of acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon wine, Cabernet Sauvignon was first blended in Bordeaux with [[Syrah]] (from the Northern Rhone), a pairing that is widely seen in Australia and some ''vin de pays'' wines from the [[Languedoc (wine)|Languedoc]].{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

The decision to first start blending Cabernet Sauvignon was partly derived from financial necessity. The sometimes temperamental and unpredictable climate of Bordeaux during the "[[Little Ice Age]]" did not guarantee a successful harvest every year; producers had to insure themselves against the risk of losing an entire vintage by planting a variety of grapes. Over time it was discovered that the unique characteristics of each grape variety could complement each other and enhance the quality of the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon added structure, [[acidity]], tannins and aging potential as a base or backbone of the wine. By itself, particularly when harvested at less than ideal ripeness, it can lack a sense of fruit or "fleshiness" on the palate which can be compensated by adding the rounder flavours of Merlot. Cabernet franc can add more aromas to the bouquet and more fruitiness. In the lighter soils of the Margaux region, Cabernet-based wines can lack colour, which can be achieved by blending in Petit Verdot. Malbec, used today mostly in [[Fronsac, Gironde|Fronsac]], can add other fruit and floral aromas.<ref name="Clarke pg 47-56" />

DNA evidence has shown Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of crossing two other Bordeaux grape varieties— Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc— which has led grapevine historians, or ''[[ampelographer]]s'', to believe that the grape originated in Bordeaux. Early records indicate that the grape was widespread in the Médoc region during the 18th century. The loose berry clusters and thick skins of the grape provided an excellent resistance to rot in the sometimes wet [[maritime climate (wine)|maritime climate]] of Bordeaux. The grape continued to grow in popularity until the ''[[Powdery mildew]]'' epidemic of 1852 exposed Cabernet Sauvignon's sensitivity to that grape disease. With vineyards severely ravaged or lost, many Bordeaux wine growers turned to Merlot, increasing its plantings to where it soon became the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux. As the region's winemakers started to understand better the area's ''terroir'' and how the different grape varieties performed in other regions, Cabernet Sauvignon increased in plantings all along the Left Bank region of the Gironde river in the Médoc as well as [[Graves (wine region)|Graves]] region, where it became the dominant variety in the wine blends. In the Right bank regions of [[Saint-Émilion AOC|Saint-Émilion]] and [[Pomerol]], Cabernet is a distant third in plantings behind Merlot & Cabernet franc.<ref name="Clarke pg 47-56"/>

In the wine regions of the Left Bank, the Cabernet influence of the wine has shown unique characteristics in the different regions. In [[Saint-Estèphe AOC|Saint-Estèphe]] and [[Pessac-Léognan]], the grape develops more mineral flavours. Aromas of violets are a characteristic of Margaux. Pauillac is noted by a strong [[pencil|lead pencil]] scent and [[Saint-Julien-Beychevelle|Saint-Julien]] by [[Cedar wood|cedar]] and [[cigar box]]es. The Cabernet wines of the [[Moulis-en-Médoc|Moulis]] are characterized by their soft tannins and rich fruit flavours while the southern Graves region is characterized by strong blackcurrant flavours, though in less intense wines overall.<ref name="Clarke pg 47-56"/> The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon used in the blend will depend on ''terroir'' and the winemakers' styles as well as the vintage. The [[First Growth]] estates of Château Mouton Rothschild and [[Château Latour]] are noted for regularly producing wines with some of the highest percentages of Cabernet— often around 75%.<ref name="Oxford pg 119-121"/>

A common factor affecting Bordeaux wines' flavours is Cabernet Sauvignon's harvest yields. Throughout Bordeaux, there is a legal maximum permitted yield of 50 [[hectoliters]] (hl) per [[hectare]] (ha). With the aid of global warming and vigorous rootstocks, many Bordeaux vineyards can easily surpass 60 hl/ha, with some estates taking advantage of the legal loophole of ''plafond limite de classement'' ("ceiling limit classification") that permits higher yields during "exceptional" years. This has had an adverse effect on the quality of production from some producers who regularly use grapes harvested at excessive yields. In recent years there has been more of an emphasis on keeping yields low, particularly for an estate's ''Grand vin''.<ref name="Clarke pg 47-56"/>

====Other French regions====
The Bordeaux wine region accounts for more than 60% of the Cabernet Sauvignon grown in France. Outside of Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is found in varying quantities throughout [[Le Midi]] and in the [[Loire Valley (wine)|Loire Valley]]. Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally lighter and less structured, drinkable much earlier than Bordeaux wine. In the southwest French ''[[appellation d'origine contrôlée]]'' (AOCs) of [[Bergerac AOC|Bergerac]] and [[Buzet AOC|Buzet]] it is used to make [[rosé]] wine. In some regions, it is used to add flavour and structure to [[Carignan]] while it is blended with [[Négrette]] in [[Gaillac (AOC)|Gaillac]] and [[Fronton, Haute-Garonne|Fronton]] as well as [[Tannat]] in [[Madiran wine|Madiran]]. In [[Provence (wine)|Provence]], the grape had some presence in the region in the mid-19th century, when viticulturist [[Jules Guyot]] recommended it as a blending partner with Syrah. In recent years, several Midi wine estates, such as [[Mas de Daumas Gassac]] have received international acclaim for their Cabernet Sauvignon blended in [[Hérault]], with [[Rhône wine|Rhône grapes]] like Syrah. It is often made as a single varietal in the ''vin de pays'' of the Languedoc. The influence of Australian [[flying winemaker]]s has been considerable in how Cabernet Sauvignon is treated by some Languedoc wine estates, with some producers making wines that can seem like they are from the New World. Overall, the grape has not exerted its dominance of the region, generally considered less ideally situated to the dry climate than Syrah. The Languedoc producers, who give serious consideration to Cabernet Sauvignon, generally rely on [[irrigation (wine)|irrigation]] to compensate for the climate.<ref name="Oxford pg 119-121"/>