"Est vieilli le meilleur" (aged is best). This is the name of the game with cabernet sauvignon. That's because the secret to cabernet sauvignon's prowess as a wine of choice is a meticulous aging process.

Cabernet sauvignon is a red wine varietal that hails from the wineries of the famed district of Medoc in Bordeaux, France. According to studies conducted in 1997, cabernet sauvignon is the result of interbreeding sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc.

A glass of young and fresh cabernet sauvignon is resplendent of black currants and is very tannic. As the precious liquid ages, it gets hints of cherries, blackberries, ceday, bell peppers, green olives, pimientos, green peppercorns, and ginger.

You may also recognize the parfums of cedar, eucalyptus, leather, a cigar box, oak, earth, and chocolate emanating from this blood-colored elixir. Further downing a shot of cabernet sauvignon causes you to identify more saveur of coconuts, vanilla, musk, smoke, sweet wood, toast, and mushrooms.

These flavors and fragrances get more pronounced as the cabernet sauvignon advances with age. Truly, est vieilli le meilleur.

A very versatile grape, cabernet sauvignon, adapts well to being planted in many different regions around the World. This grape makes the reference reds that other wines are compared to. Mixed with merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot in the Bordeaux regions of Medoc and Graves this grape makes the archetypal red wine. A wine that exists at a peak of refinement and allusiveness which few other wines can match.

Its life span after a good vintage can extend twenty or thirty years and beyond.

In California The cabernet sauvignons possess an enormously tannic and alcoholic wine barely tamed by its oak barrels. Their grandeur is unique and affords real aging potential where the wine takes on a chocolate softness.

For sheer drinkability cabernet sauvignon from Chile is hard to beat. The plum and mulberry fruit undertones have a purity and exuberance rarely matched from cabernet sauvignons of other countries.

Zinfandel can be light and fruity, much like French Beaujolais, or lively, complex and age worthy, like cabernet sauvignon or claret. It can also be made into big, ripe, high alcohol style wines that almost resemble port.

Zinfandel has a very hardy nature. Adaptable to a wide range of soils and climates, its vines tend to be vigorous and productive.

Because of its vigor, generosity and resistance to vine disease, many zinfandel vineyards exist that are seventy-five to more than one hundred years old.

Zinfandel aficionados believe these "old vines" produce the best wines because the older vineyards set smaller crops and the grapes tend to ripen more evenly.

Zinfandel is one red varietal that is best enjoyed in its youth. With more bottle age the luscious fruit that distinguishes Zinfandel drops markedly and the wine can show a pronounced taste of higher alcohol levels.

When paired with grilled steaks, chops or meat that has been stewed Zinfandel becomes a prime motivation for people to become wine lovers.

Barbera refers to the Italian red wine grape variety that is used to make several Barbera wine appellations. Southern Lombardy and Piedmont are the traditional homes of the Barbera wines. The towns of Alba, Asti, and Pavia, are particularly well-known producers of the best Barbera wines, with Barbera di'Asti being the most noted wines under the Barbera group.

The exquisite Barbera wines were said to have emerged in Italy's central Piemonte, specifically in the Monferrato hills, and were present as early as the thirteenth century. Barbera wines used to be considered as an option if the Barolo wine is still not ready. However, better wine-making techniques used by wine makers today have made it possible for Barbera wines to be one of the best Italian red wines at present.

Barbera wines have gained worldwide distinction and the favor of wine enthusiasts from several countries outside Italy, including Argentina, the United States, Australia, and Brazil.

"Il barone da vino" (the king of the wines). This is how Italians describe the barolo, which is extracted from the choicest Nebbiolo grapes grown in Cuneo, Piedmont in Italy. Legend has it during the 19th century that the barolo is a prized magical potion, perhaps owing to its aroma and full-bodied flavor.

The barolo has the color of crimson with a touch of orange when aged, and the fragrance of roses, violets, strawberries, truffles, and tar. Barolo is crisp, snappy, acrid, and has a high tannin and alcohol content. According to wine connoisseurs, barolo is best when it is aged. Like a king metamorphosing from a seasoned warrior to a champion of the masses, this kingly wine mellows as it sees through the passing of time. To ensure quality, wineries do not release barolo until it is three years old. Once it reaches its fifth year, it will be called a riserva.

Cabernet Franc is one of the leading varietals of red wine produced in Bordeaux, France. Cabernet Franc has a peppery aroma and fruity flavor that is more delicate than its close relative, the Cabernet Sauvignon. Depending on the place of production and the specific wine making process, Cabernet Franc may also exude aromas of tobacco, raspberry, and cassis. It has a lower tannin level and has a distinct blueberry/raspberry flavor. Cabernet Franc is usually mixed with other varietals of wine like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In recent times, wine producers have increasingly sold Cabernet Franc as a stand alone varietal.

Aside from the Bourdeaux region, Cabernet Franc is also produced in the Loire Valley. Other countries such as Argentina, the Balkan states, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Romania, and South Africa also produce Cabernet Franc. Of particular interest is the ice wine made from Cabernet Franc in Canada. Ice wine is a type of dessert wine made from grapes that were frozen while still on the vine.