The Soul of the Bordeaux Blend

The skillful assembly or “cépage” of multiple grape varieties to produce a single wine is a centuries-old tradition in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape variety at the heart of the Bordeaux blend and lends its character to the wines of the region.

Master Sommelier Jesse Becker and Nicolas Audebert, General Director of Château Rouzan-Segla and Château Canon discuss the specificity of this grape in the webinar, Through the Lens of Cabernet Sauvignon.

“It’s a grape variety that’s quite ‘plastic,’ able to adapt to many different climates. That’s why you find Cabernet Sauvignon all over the world,” says Audebert. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is well-suited to Bordeaux’s Left Bank, particularly the Médoc, where gravel soils provide the right amount of hydric stress and heat for the variety to ripen. 

Beyond the Left Bank

Beyond the Left Bank, Pessac-Léognan and Côtes de Bordeaux are appellations where plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon also thrive.

Soil, more than anything, dictates how much Cabernet Sauvignon ends up in the final blend of a dry red wine from Bordeaux. Watch the webinar, Through the Lens of Cabernet Sauvignon, to learn more!

This webinar is part of the How the Experts Tackle Bordeaux virtual learning series.