All the medallists from the Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters 2024

Whether from France, Australia, the US or South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon’s natural austerity needs time – but it’s worth the wait, says Patricia Stefanowicz MW.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON is an old variety, first mentioned in a written text in 1763-1777 as ‘Petit Cabernet’, but has certainly been around much longer. Its first mention as Cabernet Sauvignon was not until 1840. The parentage of Cabernet Sauvignon was discovered in 1996 at University of California Davis, and was found to be a mating between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, both of which have been grown in France’s Gironde for millennia.

Cabernet Sauvignon is also the dominant variety in many of Bordeaux’s left bank Médoc and Graves wines, including all of the first growths from the 1855 classification, and consequently has been admired and planted in nearly every region where wine grapes are grown. This noble variety can produce exceptional wines in most warm regions, as the number of wines awarded medals in our 2024 Global Masters judging demonstrates. This year ’s competition was full of fascinating wines at every price point and from a wide range of countries and regions.

In its ‘homeland’ of Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is almost always blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other varieties to produce ‘Bordeaux blends’. Due to its small, deep blue-black berries and thick skins, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are usually dark-coloured, high in tannin and racy in acidity, with blackcurrant and blackberry flavours. It has a natural affinity with oak and, because of Cabernet’s naturally monolithic, and often austere, structure, the wines frequently need time to develop. However, Cabernet Sauvignon ages well, sometimes for decades.

Most of the wines we judged came from outside France, with the majority of our samples coming from the New World: Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and California – with a few from Turkey, Romania and even India.

Under £30, Gold medals were awarded for a number of vibrantly fruity, gently oaked, well-balanced wines. Special mentions should go to Kenwood Vineyards for its Jack London Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma (unusually inexpensive at £27) and Sula Vineyards’ RĀSĀ Cabernet Sauvignon from India (at the more modestly priced £17.99).

Wines at £30–£50 displayed a definite step up in quality. It was a delight to see Tokara’s Director ’s Reserve Red, a blend from Stellenbosch, earn a Master.

The judges found wines in the £50–£70 bracket to be delectable. With intense, ripe blackcurrant fruit, satin-textured tannins and judicious use of oak maturation, these were balanced, elegant wines. Alto Wine Estate’s MPHS from Stellenbosch was the stand-out performer among this particular group.

Above £70, all the Cabernet Sauvignon wines the judges tasted this year were extraordinary, with five Masters going to Wakefield/Taylor and Hoosegg (Australia), Bemberg Estate (South Africa) and Gallica and Clos du Val (Napa Valley), suggesting the high prices of these wines may well be justified.

Unoaked Rose – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Unoaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Oaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Oaked 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (continued)

Oaked Blend

Oaked Blend (continued)

About the competition