It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley.

[5] While the period when the name Cabernet Sauvignon became more prevalent over Petite Vidure is not certain, records indicate that the grape was a popular Bordeaux planting in the 18th century Médoc region.

[3] The grape's true origins were discovered in 1996 with the use of DNA typing at the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology by a team led by Carole Meredith.

[7] Cygne blanc is a white-berried seedling of Cabernet Sauvignon that was discovered in 1989 growing in a garden in Swan Valley, Western Australia.

[15] In addition to ripeness levels, the harvest yields can also have a strong influence on the resulting quality and flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon wine.

[16] In the 1970s, a particular clone of Cabernet Sauvignon that was engineered to be virus free[17] was noted for its very high yields-causing many quality-conscious producers to replant their vineyards in the late 20th century with different clonal varieties.

To reduce yields, producers can plant the vines on less vigorous rootstock and also practice green harvesting with aggressive pruning of grape clusters soon after veraison.

[3] In many aspects, Cabernet Sauvignon can reflect the desires and personality of the winemaker while still presenting familiar flavours that express the typical character of the variety.

[19] From these elements, the high proportions of phenols and tannins can have a stark influence on the structure and flavour of the wine—especially if the must is subjected to long periods of maceration (skin contact) before fermentation.

In Bordeaux, the maceration period was traditionally three weeks, which gave the winemaking staff enough time to close down the estate after harvest to take a hunting holiday.

If winemakers choose not to shorten the period of maceration in favour of maximizing colour and flavour concentrations, there are some methods that they can use to soften tannin levels.

One additional method is micro-oxygenation, which mimics some of the gradual aeration that occurs with barrel ageing, with the limited exposure to oxygen aiding in the polymerization of the tannins into larger molecules, which are perceived on the palate as being softer.

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.

The loose berry clusters and thick skins of the grape provided an excellent resistance to rot in the sometimes wet maritime climate of Bordeaux.

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 grapes like Syrah.

[3] In Piedmont, the grape was sometimes used as an "illegal" blending partner with Nebbiolo for DOC classified Barolo with the intention of adding colour and more fruit flavours.

In southern Italy, the grape is mostly used as a blending component with local varieties-such as Carignan in Sardinia, Nero d'Avola in Sicily, Aglianico in Campania and Gaglioppo in Calabria.

Cabernet Sauvignon in Tuscany is characterized by ripe black cherry flavours that can give a perception of sweetness as well as strong notes of blackcurrant.

[3] The introduction of Cabernet Sauvignon to Spain occurred in the Rioja region when the Marqués de Riscal planted cuttings from Bordeaux in the nineteenth century.

Veeder, Spring Mountain District have thinner, less fertile soils, which produce smaller berries with more intense flavours, reminiscent of Bordeaux wines that require years of ageing to mature.

[5] In the 1970s, the Coonawarra region first brought international attention to Australian Cabernet Sauvignons with intense fruit flavours and subtle minty notes.

In the 1980s, Australia followed California's contemporary trend in producing lighter, more "food friendly" wines with alcohol levels around 11-12% percent; by the early 1990s, the styles changed again to focus on balance and riper fruit flavours.

[1] Early examples of South African Cabernet Sauvignon were produced by grapes planted in vineyard locations that were cooler than ideal, creating very herbaceous wines with the distinctive "green bell pepper" notes.

Added focus on canopy management, which gives the grapes more sunlight to ripen by removing excess foliage, and low vigour rootstock and pruning combine to achieve lower yields and have started to produce better results.

Some regions, such as Portugal, with its abundance of native grape varieties, have largely ignored Cabernet Sauvignon as it seeks to rejuvenate its wine industry beyond Port production.

Some Spanish and Italian Cabernet Sauvignons will need similar time as Bordeaux to develop, but most examples are typically made to be drunk earlier.

When Cabernet Sauvignon is paired with steak or dishes with a heavy butter cream sauce, the tannins are neutralized, allowing the fruits of the wine to be more noticeable.

Dishes that include oak-influenced flavours and aromas typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon—such as dill weed, brown sugar, nutmeg and vanilla—can also pair well.

[5] In late 2006, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology published the result of studies conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai that showed the beneficial relationship of resveratrol, a compound found in all red wine, in reducing the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease.

The study showed that resveratrol found in Cabernet Sauvignon could reduce levels of amyloid beta peptides, which attack brain cells and are part of the etiology of Alzheimer's.