Cabernet Sauvignon

Artists love to paint it, authors love to describe it and winemakers love to make it. Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most recognized red wines through its prominence in the famous Bordeaux wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon ~ The Williamson Collection

Because terroir, the sense of place, is important we grow Cabernet Sauvignon in four separate vineyards, each producing incredible fruit and wines which then become a palette for our palates.

All but one of our Cabernet Sauvignon wines are blended in some small way, even if only blends of Cabernet Sauvignon across our own vineyards. Here is our portfolio of Cabernet Sauvignon wines:

Food Pairing ~ Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet pairs best with steaks like ribeye and sirloin with a higher fat content. Mature Cabernet like ours, does not need the meat charred or treated with spice rubs. For vegetarians substitute Portobello mushrooms for the steak and the cab will work.

Slow-braised beef especially cooked in red wine, like beef short ribs or more subtly sauced, classically European dishes are best. Especially good are Au Poivre, Bearnaise and Bordelaise sauces. Here's a few suggestions:


Other suitable meats include roast lamb and burgers but be sure to avoid pasta and rice because the starches won’t mellow out the wine’s tannins.

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Cheese Pairing ~ Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet is a good all-rounder for a cheeseboard especially with hard cheeses such as an aged cheddar or gouda. Blue cheeses like Gorgonzola work well too especially in combination with a steak or a burger. Here's a few suggestions:

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Serving ~ Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Serving Temperature: 60°F- 65°F
  • Glass Type: Riedel - Bordeaux
  • Decant: Yes – 30 to 50 minutes
  • Age: Up to 15+ years
  • Pronunciation: cab er nay saw vee nyon
Background ~ -Williamson Cabernet Sauvignon
We have spent twenty years selecting vineyard sites, developing our own specialized vineyard management and winemaking techniques to produce a series of rich, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon wines that taste the way you would expect France's best Bordeaux, Premier cru classé wines to taste after aging fifteen years or more. Winemakers and viticulturists select their grape varietal carefully as clones that are highly specialized, from flavor profile, berry size, cluster shape, vine yields, vine vigor, bud break, and tolerances to heat, cold, humidity, and drought. In our California Cabernet vineyards our preference is for Clone 337. Popular in the Bordeaux region Clone 337 is a moderate producer which grows small berries and clusters to produce a dense, complex Cabernet Sauvignon wine with minimal herbal notes leaving the impression of lush, rich, bright, red berry fruit. Clone 337 allows us to pick late and make well extracted wines to create the fruit-driven style of Cabernet that emulates great well-aged French wines. Typically our Cabernet Sauvignon flavor profiles show medium to deep, ruby to purple color with a slightly austere, cedar impression to black fruit nose, leading to a touch of chocolate. The fruits are softer and more rounded on the palate, a touch more aromatic, showing more as plum than cherry. Smooth, fine grained tannin coat the palate, where the more opulent character of this clone really shows.
Romantic Names of our Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Seduce to lead by persuasion to physical action. How appropriate for this Cabernet Sauvignon made from our home ranch fruit. Soft and luscious in the mouth this powerful Cabernet will seduce you into tasting more and more.

  • Inspire to exert an enlivening or exalting influence. The inspiration came from Bills' desire to actually make a Napa Cabernet each year with fruit sourced from a different, well respected Napa winery. The first was called CMH but when it out-performed the original winery in competition we decided it was prudent to change the name to one that only hints at this inspiration.

  • Indulge to yield to the desire to allow oneself to take pleasure. This Cabernet Sauvignon was Bill's indulgence in making yet another incredible Cabernet.

  • Ingenue Honoring the wines of Château Mouton Rothschild. Why "Ingénue" - Not chosen for the original list of Premier Cru Classé in 1855, Château Mouton Rothschild was the innocent young estate that deserved better recognition. In 1973 after a long fight by the original Baron's grandson Baron Philippe, Château Mouton Rothschild achieved the status of Premier Cru Classé (Classified First Growth)

  • Impulse Honoring the wines of Château Margaux. Why "Impulse" - In 1977 investor André Mentzelopoulos, acting on impulse, purchased Château Margaux at a time when Bordeaux wines were in serious economic crisis. André invested heavily without any hope of immediate return in a subdued market, however the 1978 vintage was immediately recognized as exceptional. Today Château Margaux continues experiencing unprecedented success.

  • Stagecoach refers to the famous Stagecoach Vineyard, the largest contiguous mountain planting in the Napa Valley. Stretching from Atlas Peak to above Oakville, this 1,200 acres of rocky, volcanic, south-facing terroir entices many of Napa's most successful winemakers to compete for the Stagecoach fruit. Today, we are proud to farm five blocks of this prestigious vineyard and to be one of 30 wineries who craft incredible wines from this vineyard where the character and complexity in these mountain grapes continues to be impressive.

  • Sovereign is an incredible Cabernet Sauvignon blend which Bill developed and then barrel-aged over an extended period of four years. The name Sovereign means a principal ruler and also refers to a Victorian-era gold coin. Since our first Sovereign ruled by winning five gold medals, the name is appropriate.
    ROMANTIC NAME “™” TRADEMARK NOTICE - The Romantic name used in conjunction with this wine has been used originally and exclusively by WILLIAMSON WINES, LLC as a trademark to distinguish their so marked wine products from those of other companies. WILLIAMSON WINES, LLC is the sole owner of this mark and any unauthorized use is an infringement of copyrights, trademarks and proprietary rights.