Cabernet Sauvignon is the third most planted grape variety in the Okanagan Valley. Getty Images photo

August 31st is cause for celebration for wine enthusiasts and vintners alike, as the social world celebrates Cabernet Sauvignon Day. Cabernet Sauvignon is more than just a grape or a wine; it is a heritage, a tradition, and a global superstar. From its origins in Bordeaux to its cultivation on 840,000 acres worldwide, it has captured the hearts and minds of wine enthusiasts everywhere. From the union of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon brings distinctive black currant, cassis and bell pepper, green herb aromas to wine. It is framed by a robust structure of acidity, alcohol and tannin that makes it particularly age-worthy. With 67,000 acres planted in Bordeaux, the most famous and expensive bottles come from the left bank, where Cabernet Sauvignon has resided since the 18th century. 

In the B.C.’s Okanagan valley, where the sun casts extreme heat and light from May to September, Cabernet Sauvignon is the third most planted red grape variety with 970 acres. It has found an ideal terroir and bold expression from the sandy soils of Black Sage Bench to the gravel hills of the Similkameen Valley. Vignerons crafting exceptional B.C. Cabernet Sauvignon know it’s more than just nurturing vines. It is decisions about timing harvest, the careful handling and sorting of grapes. In the cellar, decisions to blend or not and the type of oak barrels used for fermentation and aging play a crucial role. Some wines, like the Similkameen Valley’s Orofino Red Bridge and Clos du Soleil Signature, stand out by harmonizing the distinct characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon with other red Bordeaux varieties. Others, like the Golden Mile’s Culmina Estate Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Hester Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, both 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, showcase the pure essence of the grape.

As the sun sets on Cabernet Sauvignon Day, the celebration of this star powered grape continues. Cabernet Sauvignon remains a global symbol of prestige, passion and dedication—a wine shaped by history and those that lovingly nurture it into existence. 

Use #cabernetsauvignonday and join the conversation online.

Barb Wild

Barb Wild is the Good Wine Gal, and her goal is to help people discover what they like—without snobbery. Follow Good Wine Gal’s life of wine study, wine tastings and wine travel at goodwinegal.ca.