Australian wines made entirely from cabernet sauvignon are deservingly popular – with winemakers and vignerons able to extract all kinds of qualities from its complex flavour profile. But this well-known variety is also frequently used for blending. In fact, when James Busby – a wine pioneer – imported the grape to Australia in 1832, it was almost exclusively used for blending.
And this is done for many reasons – leveraging the desired qualities of cabernet sauvignon to uplift the overall quality of a wine. For one, this variety is known for its firm tannins and strong structure. Blending with grapes like merlot, for example, which has softer tannins and more fruit, can help create a more balanced wine (whether cabernet is the more dominant force in the bottle or not).
To help you explore the great potential of cabernet sauvignon, we have curated this list of straight-up cab sauvs as well as a few blends – each tasted and recommended by the Halliday Tasting Team. Read on to find their scores and links to buy their bottles, plus members can also click through to find more detailed tasting notes and reviews.
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Cabernet Sauvignon Wines to Try
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Ansted & Osicka
1970 Block Balgownie Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
Bendigo -
Bekkers
Clarendon Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
McLaren Vale -
Parker Estate
First Growth 2021
Coonawarra -
Blue Pyrenees Estate
Richardson Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Pyrenees -
Rymill Coonawarra
The Surveyor Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Coonawarra -
Tapanappa
Whalebone Vineyard Blend 2021
Wrattonbully -
Whistling Eagle Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Heathcote -
Barristers Block Wines
JP Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Wrattonbully -
Clarendon Hills
Sandown Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
McLaren Vale -
Grounded Cru
Inc Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
McLaren Vale -
Mordrelle Wines
Basket Press Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Langhorne Creek -
Peter Lehmann
Mentor 2021
Barossa -
Peter Lehmann
VSV Ruediger Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Barossa -
Rymill Coonawarra
Sandstone Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Coonawarra -
Snake + Herring
Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Margaret River -
Château Tanunda
The Chateau Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Barossa -
Knappstein
Cabernet Malbec 2022
Clare Valley
Shop the wines: Ansted & Osicka | Barristers Block | Bekkers | Blue Pyrenees Estate | Chateau Tanunda | Clarendon Hills | Grounded Cru | Knappstein | Mordrelle | Parker Estate | Peter Lehmann | Rymil | Snake + Herring | Tapanappa Estate | Whistling Eagle
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