Decanter PREMIUM Get to know California Cabernet: Good, better, best Have you ever wanted to know more about a great wine region but didn’t know where to start? Matthew Luczy sums up what makes California Cabernet so special and picks three bottles - good (affordable), better (medium-priced) and best (money no object) – to take you there. The identity of California Cabernet Sauvignon has been a moving target over the last five decades. Trends come and go, but Cabernet’s nearly-synonymous place in the world of California wine is a constant. The balance of enhancing a wine in the cellar while letting its natural characteristics show through is a fine line; Cabernet in particular can be flypaper for practices geared towards increasing flavour and richness – not to mention price.