Introduction

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular and widely planted red grapes in the world; from Old Worlds regions like France, Italy and Spain to New World regions like California, Australia and Chile. For many years the origin of this grape was not understood with rumours linking it to ancient Roman wine. Another theory was that the grapevine originated in the Rioja region of Spain. However, the grape’s true origins were discovered in 1996 when DNA typing revealed Cabernet Sauvignon to be an offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. It is most likely that the crossing occurred between these two Bordeaux varieties in the 17^th Century. Its small berries, thick skin and loose bunches make it resistant to rot and frost there by making it one of the easiest grapes to grow.