Comparison
Aglianico vs Cabernet Sauvignon
How Aglianico and Cabernet Sauvignon differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Cabernet Sauvignon has more herbal / green character; Aglianico has more earthy character; Aglianico has more acidity.
Choose
Aglianico
Choose Aglianico if you want something earthier, fresher and more acidic, more tannic and structured.
Choose
Cabernet Sauvignon
Choose Cabernet Sauvignon if you want something more herbal and green, fruitier, more aromatic.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Herbal / green character
Clear differenceHerbs, grass, blackcurrant leaf, capsicum and other green notes, largely driven by methoxypyrazines and picking decisions.
Cabernet Sauvignon is more herbal and green: medium against low.
Earthy character
Clear differenceForest floor, mushroom, wet stone, clay and undergrowth notes. Frequently, though not exclusively, associated with cooler and more traditional styles.
Aglianico is earthier: medium-plus against low-medium.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Aglianico is fresher and more acidic: high against medium-plus.
Tannin
Clear differencePhenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems and oak. The principal structural axis of red wine.
Aglianico is more tannic and structured: high against medium-plus.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Cabernet Sauvignon is fruitier: medium-plus against medium.
Aromatic intensity
Clear differenceHow strongly the wine smells before it is tasted. Some grapes are intrinsically aromatic; others express mainly on the palate.
Cabernet Sauvignon is more aromatic: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Body: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Oak influence: Similar — both medium.
- Floral character: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Aglianico | Cabernet Sauvignon |
|---|---|---|
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Earthy character | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Acidity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Tannin | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low to high (3/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Spice | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Serve at | 16–18°C | 15–17°C |
| Typical flavours | black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, ash | blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar, graphite, tobacco |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Aglianico
Southern Italy’s most structured red variety, producing tannic, savoury, ageworthy wines in Campania and Basilicata.
Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon
The world’s most planted red wine grape: thick-skinned, tannic and blackcurrant-scented, and the backbone of Bordeaux’s left bank.
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