International Cabernet Sauvignon Day: Celebrate the King of Reds
Few wines command respect quite like Cabernet Sauvignon. Powerful, structured and built to age, it's the world's most planted red grape and the benchmark against which so many great reds are measured — little wonder it's earned the title "King of Reds." So naturally, it has a day of its own. From the legendary reds of Coonawarra to the polished, age-worthy wines of Margaret River, Australian Cabernet stands proudly among the very best in the world. It's the ideal moment to pull out a special bottle or discover a new region.
What is International Cabernet Sauvignon Day?
International Cabernet Sauvignon Day is an annual celebration of the world's most planted red grape. It began in the United States in 2009, and it quickly grew into a global celebration now embraced by wine lovers everywhere. For Australians, it's a fitting excuse to celebrate a grape we do exceptionally well. Cabernet has found some of its finest homes on our shores: the red terra rossa soils of Coonawarra and the maritime vineyards of Margaret River produce Cabernet admired the world over.
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What is Cabernet Sauvignon? The King of Reds
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted red wine grape in the world, and one of the most admired. Despite its stature, it's actually a relatively young variety: it emerged in 17th-century France as a natural cross between red Cabernet Franc and white Sauvignon Blanc, a happy accident in a Bordeaux vineyard that changed wine forever. The grape's small berries and famously thick skins are the secret to its character. They give Cabernet its deep colour, its firm, structured tannins and its remarkable ability to age, often for decades.
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What does Cabernet Sauvignon taste like?
Cabernet Sauvignon is typically full-bodied, with high tannins, refreshing acidity and a core of dark fruit, blackcurrant (cassis), blackberry and dark cherry. Around that fruit you'll often find herbal and savoury notes like green capsicum, mint, cedar and, when the wine has seen oak, chocolate, tobacco and vanilla. Where the grape is grown makes a real difference. Warmer regions produce riper, more generous, fruit-forward wines with softer tannins, while cooler climates give more restrained, structured styles with higher acidity and herbal lift. As Cabernet ages, its firm tannins soften and beautiful secondary flavours of leather, tobacco and earth emerge, the reward for patience.
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Australia's great Cabernet regions
Cabernet has found some truly world-class homes in Australia. Each region gives the grape its own accent , here's where to look.
Coonawarra, SA
Coonawarra's famous terra rossa soils, a strip of red earth over limestone, produce Cabernet of extraordinary elegance and structure, with pure cassis, mint and cedar.
Margaret River, WA
Margaret River makes some of the country's most refined, age-worthy Cabernet. A maritime climate delivers beautifully balanced wines, firm but polished, with blackcurrant, herbs and gravelly complexity, often in the classic Bordeaux mould.
Yarra Valley & cooler-climate Victoria
For a more restrained, savoury style, Victoria's cool-climate regions produce Cabernet with vibrant acidity, fine tannins and elegant, leafy, red- and dark-fruit character. Graceful and food-friendly.
Great Southern & McLaren Vale
Western Australia brings intense, structured, spicy Cabernet, while South Australia's McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek offer generous, plush, approachable styles rich in dark fruit and chocolate.
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Cabernet food pairings
Cabernet's firm tannins make it one of the great food wines. There's even science behind it: those tannins act like scrapers, cutting through the fat and protein in rich food and refreshing your palate with every sip.
Grilled steak & ribeye: Tannins cut through the fat, the classic pairing
Roast lamb: Rich, savoury meat meets structured red
Beef ragù & hearty stews: Depth of flavour matches the wine's power
Aged hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan): Salt and richness soften the tannins
Mushroom & truffle dishes: Earthy notes echo aged Cabernet's complexity
Dark chocolate (with aged Cabernet): Bittersweet cocoa flatters mellowed tannins
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How to celebrate International Cabernet Sauvignon Day
Taste Old World vs New World. Pour a Bordeaux next to an Aussie Cabernet and explore how place shapes the same grape.
Host a regional tasting. Line up a Coonawarra, a Margaret River and a Yarra Valley Cabernet and compare Australia's great terroirs.
Cook the perfect match. Fire up a steak or roast a leg of lamb — few pairings beat Cabernet with rich, savoury meat.
Start a cellar. Buy a special bottle to lay down and mark the occasion with a wine you'll open years from now.
Trade up. Cabernet Sauvignon Day is a great excuse to explore a more premium bottle than usual and taste what the fuss is about.
International Cabernet Sauvignon Day FAQs
When is International Cabernet Sauvignon Day?
International Cabernet Sauvignon Day is celebrated on the Thursday before Labor Day in the United States. In 2026, it falls on Thursday 3 September. It was created by wine marketer Rick Bakas in 2009.
Is Cabernet the same as Cabernet Sauvignon?
"Cabernet" is usually shorthand for Cabernet Sauvignon, the world's most planted red grape. It's worth noting there's also Cabernet Franc — a separate variety that is actually one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, alongside Sauvignon Blanc.
What does Cabernet Sauvignon taste like?
Cabernet is typically full-bodied with firm tannins and dark fruit flavours like blackcurrant, blackberry and dark cherry, often with notes of cedar, mint, chocolate and tobacco. Warmer regions produce riper, fruitier styles; cooler climates give more structured, savoury wines.
What food goes with Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cabernet is superb with rich, savoury dishes — grilled steak, roast lamb, beef stews and aged hard cheeses. Its tannins cut through fat and protein, which is why it pairs so well with red meat. Aged Cabernet also works beautifully with dark chocolate.
What's the best Australian region for Cabernet?
Coonawarra, with its famous terra rossa soils, is widely regarded as Australia's benchmark region for Cabernet. Margaret River is also outstanding, producing refined, age-worthy, Bordeaux-style wines.
How long can you age Cabernet Sauvignon?
Thanks to its high tannins and acidity, good-quality Cabernet can age for many years, and the best examples for decades. Over time the tannins soften and the wine develops complex secondary flavours of leather, tobacco and earth. Store bottles on their side in a cool, dark, stable place.
