People who love Cabernet Sauvignon love Cab from Napa. For good reason. Napa has a well-deserved reputation for outstanding Cab. But why not give other regions a try? Great Cabernet is produced in many regions in the United States and around the world.
Next door to Napa is the Sonoma wine region, where we find Alexander Valley, home of outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines have the depth, structure, and complexity that you expect from Cabernet. To us, Alexander Valley Cabs have more finesse and less power than Napa Cabs have. They definitely are worth a try.
Washington State is an up and coming but under the radar region for world-class Cabernet. Eastern Washington, with its warm summers but cool nights, offers ideal growing conditions for Cabernet. Look for wines from Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain, or Walla Walla, or the broader Columbia Valley designation.
Paso Robles in California is another overlooked Cabernet area that is producing very good wines for the price.
If you want to venture farther afield, you might try Cabernets from Margaret River in Australia, Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand, or the Colchagua or Maipo Valley in Chile.
If you are a Cab lover, there is a lot of Cab around the world to love.
