In many countries, Cabernet grapes are considered one of the most popular industrial varieties. It is mainly used in the wine industry. Due to its unpretentiousness, we are very fond of gardeners. There are quite a few types of it, but the most famous are Franc, Cortis, Sauvignon. The last one is especially popular.
Origin and historic homeland
Cabernet Sauvignon variety is distinguished by berries with a specific nightshade smell. It appeared as a result of crossing two Western European: Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. The grape variety cultivated all over the world today began its distribution from France (province of Bordeaux). The date of his birth is considered the 17th century. Now it is grown in Argentina, Italy, Bulgaria, Japan, America and many other countries.
Growing places
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes ripen late, because it tolerates frost and drought, as well as the invasion of various pests. It is highly resistant to milia and phylloxera. The disadvantages include lowyield and shedding of ovaries. It is unpretentious, tends to adapt and grow in all corners of the planet. And, depending on the place of growth, it has its own unique taste and smell. For example, the French Cabernet grape has a flowery-coffee aroma, but the same variety that grows in California has a berry-pepper flavor. For your information: the most favorable place for ripening without using a blend is California, not France, even though it was there that Cabernet grapes appeared.
Variety description
Shrubs have long light walnut shoots, covered with rounded leaves, and a white-green crown with dense pubescence. Clusters grow up to fifteen centimeters in length, and about nine in width, weighing up to 80 grams. Grape juice takes up most of the weight of the bunch - about 80%, pulp and skin - no more than 20%, and a very small percentage goes to the ridges.
The number of fruitful shoots is about half of their total number. In order to get wine, you need to shorten the vine and load the plant with shoots. From the moment the buds have already blossomed, about one hundred and fifty days pass when you can start harvesting. This period usually begins in early autumn. For dessert wines, it takes a little longer.
Berries
The Cabernet grape variety is distinguished by small berries - about fifteen centimeters. They have an oval shape, blue skin and a fairly high density. Berries do not rot for a very long time, they can be on a treequite a long time. The number of bones does not exceed three pieces. According to weight characteristics, the mass of the berry is no more than 1 gram. The pulp of grapes is very juicy, has a transparent color.
Sugar is about 20%, and this number cannot be changed even due to the excess of the crop load indicator.
Features of cultivation
Soil and location should be chosen with particular care, as Cabernet grapes are very sensitive to uneven surfaces. There are several generally accepted factors to be aware of when planting this grape. It should be borne in mind that this is a thermophilic variety. Despite the resistance of grapes to cold, full ripening occurs in the south, in mountainous areas. But this does not mean at all that in other conditions it will not ripen, it will just happen faster in the southern territories. Planting dates are standard - there is no difference from other varieties: mid-autumn and early spring. If the cultivation pursues such a goal as the production of wine, it is not necessary to weight the bushes with too long fruit arrows. On the contrary, they should be shortened. The width between the rows is about three meters.
Growing this variety is easy, because it practically does not rot even in rainy weather and is resistant to many diseases. In addition, it is not at all afraid of frost and tolerates winter well. The main thing is to ensure high-quality watering. In a dry summer, when there is not enough moisture, the berries grow too small,the density of clusters also decreases. The low yield of Cabernet Sauvignon is perhaps the only drawback of the variety.
Pests pose a serious danger to it - spider and grape mites, grape leafworm and its caterpillars. To combat them, a soapy solution is used, which is used to treat the bush during the opening of the kidneys. During the summer, 1% sulfur is used several times for preventive purposes.
Crop is harvested depending on weather conditions. Usually this is done in the second half of September - early October.
From the experience of professionals
Wine growers, who have been growing this variety for several years, have deduced for themselves some patterns and tricks, thanks to which almost all shoots bear fruit. A few bunches of grapes can be placed on replacement knots. Excellent adaptability to any terrain has already been mentioned above. It is worth noting here that Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are not capricious even in the new land. Together with agronomic technologies, this gives excellent results. Shortening the plant should be done by six eyes. At the lower level, although there are occasional shooters, there are nevertheless a few small clusters.
As much as one would like to use fresh Cabernet grapes, it will not succeed. The fruits are covered with too dense and rough skin. Winemaking is practically the only branch of their use. But in it, this grape is the standard for many competing varieties; in France, a variety of wines are based on it.
Wine"Cabernet Sauvignon"
Processed berries are transformed into the finest drink, which has a noble tannic taste. The fruits give it astringency, because they have such a component as tannin. The taste of the berries themselves has a nightshade hue. As for the external characteristics of the wine, such a high density of the skin of the fruit and the late ripening of the variety make the color of the drink deep and rich. With each year spent on the shelf in the wine cellar, "Cabernet Sauvignon" becomes more and more valuable, and as a result - a high cost. Over time, its taste becomes softer and resembles the taste of blackcurrant.
This grape variety is used not only in the manufacture of wines, it is also involved in the production of juices, champagne. Its fruits, filled with a special aroma, have no competitors. Wine "Cabernet Sauvignon" is served with meat and other dishes that have a pronounced taste, so as not to interrupt it.
Other grape varieties
Its fruits are also not suitable for food, so this species is grown for the purpose of making wine. Released in Germany in 1982. Cabernet Cortis is a grape variety characterized by early ripening, the terms of which do not exceed 140 days. The fruits are round in shape and have a purple hue and are covered with a whitish bloom. Most widely used in Germany and Switzerland.
Cabernet Franc - the variety that is the founder of Cabernet Sauvignon, has a significantly lower yield, but is highly resistant to frost, thereforeit is usually grown in climatic zones characterized by early cooling.
Less common varieties, but at the same time favorite among many growers are Cabernet Carol, Jura, Michurinsky, Carbon. Each of them has its own special aroma, but all of them are highly resistant to fungal infections and frosts.
