Even as wine trends come and go, Cabernet Sauvignon endures in our collective wine consciousness. Born in Bordeaux, this grape made its name as the dominant grape in the region’s left bank, but now it’s one of the most planted varieties on the planet.
Outside of its home in France — where it’s known for playing a role in blends — many countries showcase Cabernet Sauvignon in varietal and single-vineyard offerings. Certain regions in the U.S., Australia, and beyond, are now known for their unique expressions of this grape. Even if there’s a little Petit Verdot or Merlot blended in, these wines are unequivocally Cabernet Sauvignon.
We tasted a wide range of Cabs this year, and (unsurprisingly) Napa Valley came out on top as the most listed. But we were also impressed with some stunning examples from Australia and Washington State. Here are 30 of the best Cabernet Sauvignons of 2024.
Best Cabernet Sauvignons Under $25
Howard Park Miamup Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
This beautiful bottle is from Margaret River in Western Australia. This region is frequently compared to Bordeaux for its maritime climate, ocean influence, and ability to produce elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has a lean and earthy nose with subtle root vegetable notes that bring complexity. The palate is welcoming with soft tannins and bright fruit balanced by vibrant acidity.
Average price: $19
Rating: 93
Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Chateau Tanunda’s sprawling estate is an icon of Australia’s Barossa region. The majestic property, which even has its own cricket courts, gets over 100,000 visitors a year. The Gerber family, which now runs this 130-year-old estate, is passionate about the region and make this Cab as a “tapestry of terroirs,” blended from the various sub-regions of the valley. It has a refined nature to it, with an earthy, peppery nose and a dose of taught red fruit. The palate is juicy, full, and round with lifting acidity and even balance.
Average price: $20
Rating: 91
Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Margaret River is Western Australia’s most exciting wine zone, sitting just off the Indian Ocean. The Cabernet Sauvignons coming out of here are a must-watch — and we are focused. This delicious Cab has an earthy nose, filled with red fruit and cracked peppercorns. The palate is wonderful with great acidity and lithe tannins. It’s so damn balanced.
Average price: $20
Rating: 94
Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
The cool climate of California’s North Coast gives this wine such a beautiful balance. Of course, this can also be attributed to the skills of Starmont’s winemaker, Jeff Crawford. His goal is to source grapes from cool climate regions making classically styled wines that show a sense of place. Goal achieved. This wine has a peppery nose mingling with red and blue fruits. The palate has medium fruit and expertly woven tannins. You’ll want a few of these — it’s so easy, delicious, and fun to share.
Average price: $24
Rating: 94
Spring Seed Wine Co. ‘Cockscomb’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
The Australian Cabs just keep giving. This absolutely delicious bottle comes from the Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale in South Australia. It has inviting pops of cherry and soil on the nose. The palate is soft and balanced with an excellent harmony between fruit and acidity. I mean it’s so balanced.
Average price: $25
Rating: 94
Best Cabernet Sauvignons Under $50
Ashbrook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
The Devitt family founded Ashbrook Estate in Australia’s Margaret River region in 1975. Now a third generation family winery, the Devitts continue to make thoughtful wines from estate-grown and hand-picked grapes. That attention to detail is so present in this wine. It has a welcoming nose flecked with pepper, dark fruit, and a hint of oak. The palate is extremely balanced with great acidity and medium fruit. You’ll be cracking (screw capped) bottles of these for days.
Average price: $26
Rating: 94
Bremerton Coulthard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
This Cab comes from the Langhorne Creek wine region in South Australia. This winemaking town is on the Fleurieu Peninsula, so it’s influenced by cooling breezes from both the Southern Ocean and Lake Alexandrina. The nose has red and blue fruits with hints of mint and soil. The mouthfeel is soft with great natural acidity and edgy yet well-woven tannins.
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
Madroña Vineyards Signature Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
How about a Cab made from vines that are 50 years old on slopes of a mountain 3,000 feet above sea level? This is the El Dorado AVA where winemaker Paul Bush creates elegant, high-elevation wines that continue to impress us. This subtle yet deep Cab has red fruit and a touch of earth on the nose. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with grippy tannins and excellent balance between fruit and acid.
Average price: $32
Rating: 94
Battle of Bosworth Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
From the folks who brought you Spring Seed ‘Cockscomb’ — that amazing $25 Cab — comes the Battle of Bosworth Cab. This organic Cab is an absolute stunner with an earthy nose supported by lithe red fruit. The palate is well-balanced with a tight fruit core that’s matched by medium acidity and a slight tannic grip.
Average price: $35
Rating: 95
Januik Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
This is the 22nd vintage of the Januik family’s Columbia Valley Cab. The estate’s rich history in the region allows it to work with some of the area’s most esteemed vineyards, and this Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon includes grapes from several vineyards that are considered some of the best in the state. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to get into Washington State wine. This bottle is soft and peppery with tight and earthy red fruit. The softness carries to the mouthfeel with a rich palate balanced by good acidity and a nice grip.
Average price: $35
Rating: 94
Langmeil Winery ‘The Blacksmith’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Barossa’s Langmeil Winery has a history going back to 1842. Its signature Cab is named for a blacksmith who established a trading post and planted vines on the lane, and he remains central to the winery’s heritage. The wine is earthy with dark fruit and slight rhubarb hints on the nose. The palate is expertly balanced with soft fruit, amazing acidity, and tannins that melt away on your tongue.
Average price: $35
Rating: 94
Best Cabernet Sauvignons Under $100
Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Mountain fruit. That’s what we call grapes grown at high elevations, taking in all that sun and cool air. The Atlas Peak winery was established in 1987 in the Vaca Mountain range, five years before this area became officially known as the Atlas Peak AVA. This Cabernet Sauvignon has a calm, fruit-forward nose with a good dose of earthiness. The palate has a juicy fruit core with well-integrated tannins. If you’re into laying down wine, this can easily age another year or so.
Average price: $50
Rating: 90
Matthews Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon is diverse. It can be deep and concentrated or medium-bodied and juicy. But one thing that runs through the well-made Cabs of this state is great acidity. This wine is on the deeper, fuller side of the spectrum, but with a nice minerality. There’s lush mocha and dark berry notes, but the wine’s balanced acidity keeps it bright and food-friendly.
Average price: $50
Rating: 93
Long Meadow Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
This is a modern, full-bodied Napa Cab that has all the bigness with all the balance. It has red fruit notes and some more savory characteristics like earth, meat, leather, and tobacco on the nose. It has a deep, soft palate with some pepper and beetroot notes that add complexity.
Average price: $60
Rating: 93
Whitehall Lane Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Whitehall Lane has been focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon since the early ‘90s, and it shows in this well-balanced wine. It has a soft nose with red berry fruit and some savory notes of peppers and earth. The palate offers rich, deep fruit with a great tannic frame.
Average price: $60
Rating: 94
Pursued by Bear Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Washington-based winery Pursued by Bear is a collaboration between winemaker Daniel Wampfler and beloved actor Kyle MacLachlan. We loved last year’s vintage and are back again listing this delicious wine. This vintage shows great aging potential. It has an earthy, meaty nose with hints of brambly red fruit. It has a medium fruit core that holds up to the wine’s good acidity and grippy tannins. It’s drinking well now with some air, but can definitely age a few more years.
Average price: $70
Rating: 92
Aldina Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
We tried this vintage last year, and now we get to watch how it’s coming along with age. The lushness has evolved into concentrated earthy, red fruit notes embedded into the core of the wine. The tannins are still melting into the wine and are a nice contrast to the focused body.
Average price: $72
Rating: 93
Trione ‘Block 21’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Sonoma’s Alexander Valley is home to a different kind of California Cab, and the Trione family, who have been here since the ‘80s, know exactly how to hone in on this style. This bottle is stunning. It has bright fruit on the nose with the right amount of oak and a hint of earth. The palate is fleshy and so well balanced with excellent acidity and fruit that has just the right depth to match. The tannins have almost fully integrated and it’s aging wonderfully.
Average price: $79
Rating: 95
Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Established in 1976, Duckhorn is one of the founding wineries of Napa. They cut their teeth on Merlot, but now make a range of stand-out wines like this Cab. This bottle has a good dose of oak on the nose with some notes of red and blue fruit. It has a soft, grippy palate with good medium fruit and structure.
Average price: $80
Rating: 89
Groth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
The Groths have been making Cabernet Sauvignon in Oakville since the mid-’80s, before it was an official AVA in Napa Valley. Groth helped develop the sub-region and its wines are now a standard in the region. This Cab is soft and peppery on the nose with focused red fruit and earth. It has remarkable elegance for Cab with a lithe tannic grip and balanced fruit.
Average price: $80
Rating: 93
Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard ‘Trueman’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
This fragrant and meaty Cab is from Clarendon, an area in the higher elevations of McLaren Vale in South Australia. It’s a perfect example of how this variety shines here. The wine has a deep, earthy nose of rich red fruit and spiced meat. The palate is stunning with a soft, fleshy mouthfeel and amazing acidity with lush tannins. Your palate will thank you.
Average price: $80
Rating: 94
Brandlin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Mount Veeder is another high-elevation Napa Valley AVA that gives big, full-bodied wines and the Brandlins have been here making them since the 19th century. This Cab has an oak-rich nose with a good dose of red fruit. The palate is balanced with a nice harmony between fruit and acid. The tannins still need time to chill, but it’s drinking well now.
Average price: $97
Rating: 90
Best Cabernet Sauvignons Over $100
Force & Grace Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
This wine is so powerful yet so damn soft it will make you do a double take. Plush oak notes on the nose are seamlessly woven into bright red fruit aromas, with hints of rhubarb, soil, and pepper. The body of the wine is also soft yet powerful with deep fruit and amazing acidity lifting the wine on the palate. The tannins are there, but only in spirit, holding the wine in place.
Average price: $100
Rating: 96
Heitz Cellar Lot C-91 2019
This single-lot wine is a testament to Joe Heitz’s legacy. It’s deep, savory, and peppery on the nose with dense red fruits. The palate is soft yet rich with good acidity and melty tannins. It’s only going to get better with age.
Average price: $120
Rating: 94
Lawrence Wine Estates Ink Grade Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
There’s a reason why wine lovers revere Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain AVA. These are some of the most coveted wines in the region due to their power and agabilty. This wine is from a tucked-away northern corner of the AVA and takes that power while adding high-elevation elegance. It has an almost liqueur-like concentration on the nose with focused fruit intertwining with soil. It has a seamless, soft mouthfeel dosed with natural acidity that matches the present, yet receding, tannins.
Average price: $120
Rating: 95
Darioush Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
This is a classic big and bold Napa Cab that seamlessly integrates each element into one harmonious wine. It has a unique perfumed nose with beautiful dense dark fruit notes. It has a soft yet powerful mouthfeel and well-woven tannins embedded into a deep fruit core.
Average price: $135
Rating: 94
Louis M. Martini Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
This wine is essentially Napa Valley royalty. A legacy of one of the founding winemakers of the region made from the fruit of one of the most coveted vineyards in northern California, this is an age-worthy gem. It has a powerful nose of earthy forest-floor, red fruit, and pepper. The palate is very balanced with rich fruit and a prominent tannin structure that will only melt further into the wine with time.
Average price: $140
Rating: 95
Burgess Cellars ‘Sorenson’s Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Tom Burgess began his wine journey based on his love affair with Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery has been making wines from this grape since the early ‘70s in Napa’s Howell Mountain AVA, and has set a standard of elegant, beautiful wines. This bottle is just out of this world with a deep and savory nose with a slight feral bent and liqueur-like red fruit. Elegance graces the palate with an absolute epic balance between fruit, acid, and tannin. Harmony in a bottle.
Average price: $150
Rating: 96
Tarpon Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Tarpon Cellars is new on the scene but is committed to giving back while making great wine. Proceeds from their sales are channeled into philanthropic organizations dedicated to sustainability. This is a unique Cab with leathery, savory notes mingled with tight red fruit on the nose. It’s wonderful on the palate with a medium body and present yet integrated tannins. A very enjoyable and approachable Napa Cab that can age for another 10 years.
Average price: $150
Rating: 92
Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
If you want an American classic — and are ready to buy a wine to lay down for a while — then this wine is so for you. This wine is drinking well now, but it was built to age. We had a chance to taste the same vintage last year, and it’s coming along wonderfully. It has bright, tart red fruit notes with peppery hints. The subtle tannins are still working their way into the wine, but it’s so damn balanced.
Average price: $225
Rating: 94
FAQs
Where does Cabernet Sauvignon come from?
Cabernet Sauvignon originated in Bordeaux, France, where it is widely used in the prestigious blends of the Left Bank. DNA testing has shown that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the product of a crossing between two other grapes that are popular in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc — hence the name Cabernet Sauvignon.
Which region makes the best Cabernet Sauvignon?
While Cabernet Sauvignon comes from France, where it is commonly used as a blending grape, most major wine regions have taken up this grape and made it their own. High-quality examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, both as varietal wines and in blends, can now be found across the globe from esteemed regions like Napa Valley to Washington State, Australia, Chile, and South Africa. It is one of the world’s most common and popular varieties, also making it one of the most planted.
Why is Cabernet Sauvignon so popular?
Cabernet Sauvignon put Napa Valley, and the U.S. wine industry, on the map, and drinkers embraced it. The wine’s profile is bold, fruit-forward, and complex, making it a great choice for drinking on its own or with food. The familiar flavors of blackberry, plum, blackcurrant, and vanilla make it an inviting wine that many enjoy, especially with a nice steak.
VinePair’s tasting methodology
Throughout the year, VinePair conducts numerous tastings for our popular Buy This Booze column, and wine and spirits reviews. Our mission is to provide a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.
Tastings are not typically conducted blind. In alignment with our reviews mission, we believe in purposefully tasting all products as our readers typically would, with full knowledge of the producer, the region, and — importantly — the price.
For Buy This Booze roundups, we typically include a maximum of one expression per brand, though we do allow multiple products from the same production facility (i.e., released under different labels).
For this roundup, we aimed to consider the best Cabernet Sauvignons from a variety of origins and price points. From notable to up-and-coming regions, we looked for wines whose flavor profiles went beyond the grape’s standard characteristics and showcased terroir. The lower-priced bottles on the list represent those with the most balance and concentration at their price points. As for the more expensive inclusions, these wines were chosen due to their nuanced notes and their well-rounded acidity and balance.
