Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape behind some of the most famous wines from Bordeaux, Stellenbosch, Napa Valley, and more. In fact, it is quite possibly one of the most famous red grapes in the world. Boasting outstanding flavors of black fruits, spice, and herbs, with good acidity and noticeable tannins, this grape is one to be cherished.
But just because you can find bottles with a price tag well over $100 doesn’t mean you have to empty your pockets every time you want to indulge. We broke down some of our favorite bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon at every price point, whether you’re looking for a budget bottle under $20, perfect for weeknight dinners, or a splurgy bottle around $100 for special occasions.
What Is Cabernet Sauvignon?
This red grape variety is used to produce dry wines with moderate acidity and firm tannins. The grapes are small, thick-skinned and almost blue-colored. Flavors vary but tend to include oak, black fruits like black currant and blackberry, tobacco, cigar and coffee.
It is often aged and blended with other red grapes to make exquisite wines, like Merlot, to create a Bordeaux blend. Cabernet Sauvignon was originally created by crossing Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties.
Whether you’re looking for a thrifty pick or hoping to splurge, the Wine Enthusiast tasting department shared their recent favorite Cabernet Sauvignon bottles for every budget.
Best Cabernet Sauvignon by Price
Best Bottles Under $25
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
Clare Valley’s unique climate produces its own breed of Cabernet, and this is an excellent, affordable example of the style. Highly perfumed, with heady notes of savory herbs and spices (think mint, ground pepper and oregano), there’s luscious-yet-fresh blueberry and plum fruit, chocolate, violets, and a little tomato stem. There’s the power to the palate but a constant lift of cool climate acidity, wound tightly with spicy, talc-like tannins, with length and balance. Drink now with grill fare, until around 2027. Best Buy —Christina Pickard
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
A fun, friendly expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that still provides the depth and complexity that has become expected from the variety. Enjoy notes of red and black cherry, blackberry, crushed red roses and violets, freshly turned earth, black pepper, toasted wood, nutmeg, cardamom, and star anise. Fine-grained tannins add a smooth, silky texture; elevated acidity provides a freshness that rides right down the center of the palate, pointing toward the long, lingering finish. Best Buy —Stacy Briscoe
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
The Bolt is made predominantly with fruit from own-rooted vines growing at approximately 1,200 feet above sea level in the Goose Mountain block of Goose Ridge Ranch. It is graceful and balanced, with juicy acidity, sturdy tannic structure, and restrained alcohol. With its aromas and flavors of Bing cherries, salted black licorice, orange blossoms, freshly cut grass, and a savory note of pan-seared steak with fresh rosemary, this is a stunning value. Best Buy —Michael Alberty
93 Points Wine Enthusiast
A rich, creamy texture floats lush black fruits and intricate oak spices in this full-bodied, palate-saturating wine. Cooked blueberries, blackberry jam, and espresso crema come to mind when sipping this elegant, velvety wine. Best from 2024-2034. Editor’s Choice —Jim Gordon
Best Bottles Under $40
91 Points Wine Enthusiast
This wine offers a classic Cabernet Sauvignon expression, starting off with aromas of cassis, blackberry and plum that are hit by notes of sweet tobacco, toasted cedar and singed currant leaf. The palate is well balanced between the ripe black-fruit characteristics and a strong framework of structured tannins, with just enough acidity to complete the package. It’s enduring and evolving on the finish, and while it’s hard to resist now, should mature well through 2026. Editor’s Choice —Lauren Buzzeo
91 Points Wine Enthusiast
The nose of this wine is herbal with anise, oregano, and pencil-shaving aromas, while blackberry and cocoa provide depth. Fennel pollen and roasted nut flavors meet with rich berries on the palate, where tannins are light but present. —Matt Kettmann
Best Bottles Under $60
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
With a nose that’s intensely woodsy, this Cabernet Sauvignon feels like a stroll through the woods on a winter’s afternoon. Aromas start with roots, underbrush, and soil and then pass into dark berries and bramble. The palate turns chocolaty and dense with blackberries and currants. —Danielle Callegari
93 Points Wine Enthusiast
This chunky, chocolaty wine from one of California’s oldest wineries is saturated with black fruits, oak spices, and fine-grained tannins that give it power and concentration. Excellent ripeness, depth, and length bode well for continued aging. Best from 2025. Editor’s Choice —Jim Gordon
95 Points Wine Enthusiast
Plush and powerful, this gentle giant of wine offers complexity, depth, and concentration. Tempting, spicy oak accents are intimately woven with deep blueberries, dark plums, and black currants on a velvety texture of soft tannins for a layered expression. Best from 2025–2035. Editor’s Choice —Jim Gordon
Best Bottles Under $100
95 Points Wine Enthusiast
Aroma and flavor: dark berry fruit, chocolate, mint, tobacco leaf, seaweed, and earthy spice. Toasty oak is present, too. The tannins are powerful with a lovely talc-like texture, but the juicy fruit remains in the spotlight. Drinking well now but with the potential to age gracefully for several decades. Cellar Selection —Christina Pickard
95 Points Wine Enthusiast
Roasted meat, preserved plum, and smoke aromas make for a pleasantly rugged nose on this bottling, which includes 9% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. The palate is rugged and rich as well, with teriyaki, baked black plum, and smoked meat flavors, with acid washing into the finish. —Matt Kettmann
Best Bottle Under $200
100 Points Wine Enthusiast
There’s something so alluring and enticing about the Fay, named for Nathan Fay, who first planted Cabernet Sauvignon in what is now Stags Leap District back in 1961. It shows old-school dust, clove and graphite, with secondary hints of violet, sage and tree bark. Enjoy this wine best from 2029–2039. Cellar Selection —Virginie Boone
