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Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most prominent dark-skinned grape varieties except Merlot in terms of area under vines, but which comprises our largest selection of wines. Grown in just about every wine producing region and climate, Cabernet Sauvignon can express a huge range of aromas, from green peppers in cool climates through to dark jammy fruit in hot regions. Common aromas include blackcurrants, mint, graphite, and forest floor, to name a few. Maturation in small oak barrels can develop a complex range of aromas from cedar wood, cigar box and tobacco to eucalyptus and undergrowth. Cabernet Sauvignon’s success is partly due to its ability to adapt to a range of soils and climates. It is the main constituent of the Bordeaux blend in the revered communes of Pauillac, St. Estephe and St. Julien, and has achieved equal success in California’s Napa Valley. It is grown extensively throughout Southern Australia, with some outstanding examples from the Terra Rossa soil of Coonawarra. Cabernet Sauvignon also plays an increasing role in Tuscany, Italy, where it is blended with native varieties such as Sangiovese to produce the Super Tuscans.
Country: Mexico
Mexico, at the southern tip of the North American continent, might seem like an unlikely wine producing nation, but viniculture has been practiced here for longer than anywhere else in the Americas. The Parras Valley's Casa Madero winery, founded in 1597, prides itself on being la vinicola mas antigua de America ('the oldest winery in America'). At this point in history, Bordeaux's Medoc was still an undrained marsh. It was from here that viticulture spread northwards to California and then southwards, notably to Chile and Argentina.
Region: Baja California
The Baja California wine industry is focused on a small area of the state of Baja California, Mexico. Most of the production is in the Valle de Guadalupe, there is also grape and wine production in some neighboring valleys. These valleys all have Mediterranean-type microclimates instead of desert thanks to sea breezes and fog which comes inland from the Pacific Ocean. Though a bit warmer and drier, the region produces many of the same grapes as in California, producing varietals that originated in southern France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
While wine was first made here in the late 17th century/early 18th, premium winemaking did not begin until the 1980s, with the success of the Monte Xanic winery. Wine making is very eclectic here, with no one style dominating the scene. The success of the modern wine industry has spurred a tourism industry as well, though not as developed as in some other parts of Mexico.
Sub-Region: Valle de Guadalupe
Valle de Guadalupe is the key wine region in the state of Baja California, Mexico. Baja California, in turn, is responsible for 90 percent national wine production.
At the heart of the valley is Guadalupe village, which lies 14 miles (20km) north of Ensenada city. The valley runs northeast to southwest on either side of Guadalupe, stretching from the Pacific coast inland for roughly 20 miles (32 km). Over that distance the land ascends dramatically from the cliffs above Todos Santos Bay to several thousand feet above sea level.
Type: Red
Red wine is wine made from dark-coloured grape varieties. The color of red differs based on the grapes variety or varieties used.
Interestingly, black grapes yield a juice that is greenish-white. The actual red color comes from anthocyan pigments (also called anthocyanins) from the skin of the grape (exceptions are the relatively uncommon teinturier varieties, which produce a red colored juice). Most of the production centers around the extraction of color and flavor from the grape skin.