Californian Cabernet has been off retail shelves for about 18 months, along with all other American alcoholic beverages. It’s a much-loved style that many wine drinkers miss. After all, that velvet-fruited variety is hard to replicate elsewhere. But here are six that come close, including three pure Cabernet Sauvignon wines and three blends to close the gap.
2025 Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia
Score 92
(LCBO 119628, $14)
Ripe blackcurrant preserves set the tone on the nose, giving way to a broad, dark-fruited palate that shifts through overlapping planes of black cherry, cocoa, maple wood and cream. As the wine tapers, nougat and nuts emerge and stay a while. One could mistake this wine with its sun-kissed style and oak finish for a Californian Cabernet. Generous enough to feel indulgent yet buoyed by enough acidity to remain food-friendly and refreshing, this long-standing listing at the LCBO is popular for good reason. (13.5% alc., 7 g/L sugar)
2019 Evans & Tate Hullabaloo Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia
Score 90
(Vintages 41312, $20.95)
First recommended in July, this bottle is still available — and worth a spot on this list. What starts as a pool of deep red wine, releasing the sweet-fruited fragrance of blackcurrant liqueur, becomes a bold sweep of dry red wine reminiscent of pricier California bottles. Expect a wine that refuses to sit still, cycling through flavours of black forest fruit, bay leaf, cedar, earth and chocolate, tasting richly saturated and palate-drenching. Persistent, too. If you like big reds, this bottle is for you. (14.5% alc., 2 g/L sugar)
2020 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Score 96
(Vintages Essential 626325, $60.95)
This blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash each of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc drinks like it hails from Napa. Even at about six years old, it’s youthful and hedonistic with loads of ripe, round and sun-drenched berry fruit that shifts to reveal chiselled complexity. Cigar box, cinnamon, slate and graphite score the expansive, opulent centre while tension and grip hem in the fruit. Long, too. This bottle is a bargain, even at $60. It shows especially well with beef tenderloin and potatoes. (14.5% alc., 3 g/L sugar)
2021 Famille Sichel Château Argadens Bordeaux Supérieur AC, France
Score 92
(Vintages Essential 681643, $19.95)
This Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot is from Bordeaux, but it’s made in a modern, fruit-forward style, so it certainly tastes California-adjacent. The 63 per cent Merlot and 37 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon harmonize into an alluring, oaked expression of cassis and black cherries, burnt almond and dark chocolate, with an attractive violet lift. This full-bodied red is mouth-filling but not heavy, serious but not pricey and complex but not precious. A delight — especially with family or friends and braised short rib, or just a nibble of aged cheddar. (14.5% alc., 4 g/L sugar)
NV Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Devil’s Carnaval Fabulous Red, Chile
Score 91
(LCBO 42709, $13.90)
If you reached for sweeter, jammy styles of Californian Cabernet in the past, this Chilean red is for you. It delivers an immediate rush of cherry-almond flavour that tastes rich and accessible, all underpinned by fruitcake, orange peel and spice notes. The palate is smooth and fruit-driven with a touch of sweetness that rounds out each sip. Serve it on its own — cocktail style — or with barbecue ribs mopped with sticky sauce. At just under $14, it’s a smart buy for anyone missing that sweet, juicy Californian style. (13.5% alc., 15 g/L sugar)
CAROLYN’S PICK OF THE WEEK
2023 Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard D.O. Maipo Valley, Chile
Score 95
(LCBO 358309, $17.95)
This wine by Viña Carmen, one of Chile’s oldest wineries, is simply glorious. Made from 100 per cent hand-picked Cabernet Sauvignon, its quietly magnetic perfume of dark berries, cedarwood, a touch of bergamot and smoked vanilla draws you in immediately, followed by an elegant, crushed-velvet entry. Flavours evoke memories of wild blueberry, roasted hazelnut, black licorice and, yes, Californian Cabernet, while the texture remains plush throughout. Beautifully balanced and deeply satisfying, especially for a sub-$20 wine, this bottle is a jewel. Doesn’t linger, but it keeps you sipping. (13.5% alc., 4 g/L sugar)
