Comparison
Cabernet Sauvignon vs Montepulciano
How Cabernet Sauvignon and Montepulciano differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Cabernet Sauvignon has more herbal / green character; Cabernet Sauvignon has more spice; Cabernet Sauvignon has more acidity.
Choose
Cabernet Sauvignon
Choose Cabernet Sauvignon if you want something more herbal and green, spicier, fresher and more acidic.
Choose
Montepulciano
Choose Montepulciano if you prefer its flavour profile — black plum, blackberry, dried herbs.
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.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Cabernet Sauvignon is spicier: medium against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Cabernet Sauvignon is fresher and more acidic: medium-plus against medium.
Tannin
Clear differencePhenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems and oak. The principal structural axis of red wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon is more tannic and structured: 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.
Oak influence
Clear differencePerceptible impact of barrel or alternative oak contact — vanilla, toast, coconut, smoke, cedar and added texture.
Cabernet Sauvignon is more oaky: medium against low-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.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Savoury character: Similar — both medium.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Cabernet Sauvignon | Montepulciano |
|---|---|---|
| Herbal / green character | typically medium, ranging from low to medium-plus (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Spice | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | medium (3/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium, ranging from low to high (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Earthy character | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Perceived freshness | 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) |
| Serve at | 15–17°C | 15–17°C |
| Typical flavours | blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar, graphite, tobacco | black plum, blackberry, dried herbs, liquorice, cocoa |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
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.
Grape
Montepulciano
An Adriatic Italian variety producing soft, deeply coloured, affordable reds — and nothing to do with the Tuscan town of the same name.
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