7 Cabernet Recs

In honor of International Cabernet Sauvignon Day, we've had our in-house wine expert Samantha Nelmes put together a list of her favourite Cabs — all available from Willow Park, of course.

1. St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon

This highly rated Cab-heavy blend is known for its symphony of deep, bold flavours ranging from blackberry and black currant to espresso, licorice and oak. The epitome of the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, St. Supery cabs have impressive structure yet soft and creamy tannins for a smooth and memorable finish.

TRY IT: St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 and the 2017 vintage

2. Sichel Margaux

A gorgeous example of classic Margaux Bordeaux, Maison Sichel's are full of refinement and grace. The wine is brilliantly expressive, changing as you smell and sip. Fruit-forward aromas mixed with vanilla and spice give way to more toasted notes.

TRY IT: Sichel Margaux Rouge 2016

3. Freemark Abbey

This historic winery has been producing critically acclaimed wines since it first opened in the late 1800s under the ownership of Josephine Tychson, one of the first female winemakers to make a mark in Napa. Today, Freemark's winemakers focus heavily on terroir, crafting complex Cabs rife with notes of dark fruit, cherry, chocolate, café mocha and black pepper.

Try It: Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

4. Chateau Angludet

Another Cabernet under the banner of Maison Sichel, Chateau Angludet takes advantage of prime real estate in the Margaux area of Bordeaux plus an intentionally limited yield to produce Cabernet that's an exceptional representation of French tradition, terroir and the varietal itself.

Try It: Chateau Angludet Sichel Margaux 2016

5. Yalumba "The Menzies" Cabernet Sauvignon

Whether this is your first foray into Australian reds or a chance to add to your list of favourites, you're likely to be both impressed and surprised by this Cab from Coonawarra. Expect lots of body, oodles of aromatics, and undercurrents of salinity and minerality courtesy of Coonawarra's iconic terra rossa soil.

Try It: Yalumba "The Menzies" Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

6. Sunrock Cabernet Sauvignon

Sunrock Vineyards is located in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, where the vines are perfectly positioned to continue ripening well into late October. The resulting flavour profile is intense and exclusive to just a few sites in the valley — you truly can't taste a Cab like this anywhere else. Expect extraordinary balance, fine tannins, extended finish, and intense representation of characteristic Cab notes like dark fruit, baking spice, vanilla and savory herbs.

Try It: Sunrock Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

7. Podere Sapaio Volpolo

Podere Sapiao's Volpole is what happens when Bordeaux comes to Italy — Tuscany, to be precise. This beautiful Super Tuscan combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Merlot for layered aromatics and intriguing complexity that takes drinkers through a maze of black currant, black cherry, violets, cigar box and cedar.

This is a robust, almost chewy wine, that tastes great now but will show even more elegance and balance after some time in your cellar.

Try It: Podere Sapaio Volpolo 2020