Cabernet Sauvignon is a world-famous red grape variety used to make traditional red wine. However, the same red grapes can be used to make white Cabernet Sauvignon.
White Cabernet Sauvignon is a crisp and refreshing white wine ideally served with appetizers, light meat, or fish. Its taste can vary depending on the winemaking process but is often full of pear, apple, and peach flavors. Also known for fruity aromas and pale colors, this white wine is amongst some of the most versatile wines in the world.
Winemakers can make white wine from red grapes by removing the grape skins during the juicing process.
The best way to learn about this wine is to explore its flavor profile, see some popular examples, and discuss the best food pairings for white Cabernet Sauvignon.
What Does White Cabernet Sauvignon Taste Like?
Let’s go over some of the basics of this unique white wine and later compare it to its traditional red sibling.
Expect the flavor of white Cabernet Sauvignon to have notes of pear, apple, peach, and apricot. To be fruity on the nose with a medium body and a flavorful finish. This crisp white wine is often filled with herbal, mineral, and zingy acidity notes.
It has a pale lemon color similar to champagne or classic white wine such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.
These qualities come from the particular style of winemaking from its native region, as well as the aging of the wine.
Red Cabernet Sauvignon, on the other hand, has a flavor similar to black pepper, black and red fruit, and on rare occasions mint or eucalyptus. It also has higher tannin but lower acidity than white Cabernet Sauvignon.
When making the wine, the grapes are aged and fermented in oak barrels. This helps to soften the tannins and produce flavors such as vanilla and toast.
So, Cabernet Sauvignon can develop untraditional flavors from aging. That’s why some variants of Cabernet Sauvignon are so expensive.
Best White Cabernet Sauvignon Examples
Wilson Creek Variant Series White Cabernet Sauvignon – This American wine is sweet with lots of berry and tropical fruits. A fantastic summer wine ideally served chilled. Add this to your wine hitlist and get your hands on it as soon as possible. This truly smooth white Cabernet Sauvignon is worth a wine enthusiast’s attention.
Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio Bianco – This Italian gem is fantastic with seafood and light meat. A perfect wine for dinner parties and special occasions. Aromas of lemon, apple, and peach. Pear and apple on the palate with a flinty finish. A refreshing and thirst-quenching wine.
Decoy Limited – This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes is an amazing example of the innovation of American winemakers. It is an award-winning wine that consists of pears, apples, pineapple, butter, oak, and kiwi. It has rich fruit-packed aromas and a persistent finish.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan Blanc (Grand Cru Classé de Graves) – A real French white Cabernet Sauvignon. This fine wine runs about a thousand bucks per bottle. The magic of its golden color is full of citrus, minerals, and spice.
What Food Pairs with White Cabernet Sauvignon?
While there are so many food pairings for a glass of white Cabernet Sauvignon, here are some that stood out to me.
Fish – All kinds of fish match perfectly with this wine. A white Cabernet Sauvignon falls in line with a light, simple seasoned white fish such as the halibut, haddock, sole, snapper, sea bass, or cod. Don’t shy away from trying it with salmon or sushi as well.
Cheese – This is one of the most classic food pairings with white wine. It is like a match made in heaven between a minerally French white wine and a creamy, tangy cheese. Goat cheese in particular.
While there are different kinds of cheese you can pair with white Cabernet Sauvignon, try to choose one that has some tang to balance the citrus present in the wine.
Vegetables – Because of the presence of vegetal pyrazines in this white wine, it goes well with veggies, especially spring vegetables.
In addition, if your recipe contains peas, asparagus, artichoke, fennel, zucchini, or dill, it’s great to pair with this amazing wine. Also, you can add these veggies to heartier, heavier dishes to get rid of the acidity of the wine.
Salad – Another great pairing with the white Cabernet Sauvignon is fresh salads. You can even make it better by adding flakes of feta or goat cheese. This white wine pairs beautifully with a variety of salads that range from grain-based ones to fruits.
As long as the salad contains fresh greens and herbs such as grilled red peppers, fresh tomato, papaya, mango, or avocado, there is always a good chance that it will taste amazing with a glass of white Cabernet Sauvignon
White Meats – White meats such as pork chops, turkey, or chicken are best paired with this wine. The meat’s fattiness gets the best out of the wine’s acidity beautifully. It’s recommended to taste roasted or grilled chicken with a glass of white wine.
Pasta – White Cabernet Sauvignon and pasta go hand to hand and the combination is something that you can’t afford to miss. The wine tastes great with mushroom risotto or creamy pasta dishes.
Pesto pasta, normal pasta with greens, fresh tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil, or ravioli with tomato sauce can taste fantastic with a glass of white Sauvignon.
Thai food – If you like to add more heat to your kitchen, Thai food is great for pairing with white Sauvignon. The spicy south-east Asian recipes with chili and lime in them pair great with this wine.
Is White Cabernet Sauvignon the Same as Cabernet Blanc?
That’s a common question amongst wine drinkers exploring new horizons.
White Cabaret Sauvignon and Cabernet Blanc are not the same things. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Blanc are two different types of grapes that produce different types of wine, Sauvignon traditionally being red wine and Blanc being white.
As described before, white Cabernet Sauvignon is what we get when winemakers strip the skins of off red grapes to make white wine. It’s a white variation of traditional red wine and is not to be confused with Cabernet Blanc.
How Did White Cabernet Sauvignon Start?
The original white Cabernet Sauvignon is credited to Malcolm Cleggett, a South Australian winemaker from Langhorne Creek.
In the 1980s, he separated lighter-colored grapes from the traditional red bunches and used the spores to start a new grape.
Those grapes produced lightly colored Cabernet vines which Cleggett Wines turned into a white Cabernet Sauvignon.
Summary
The purpose of this article was to share with you everything I’ve learned about white Cabernet Sauvignon.
It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite wines, and I believe if you experiment with its abundance it might be yours as well.
Once you try it, let me know what you think of white Cabernet Sauvignon in the comments section or by contacting us via our Facebook group page. I’d love to know your option on this unique wine.