The Cabernet Sauvignon grape loves the Cape. No other variety grown in the Margaret River Wine Region has produced such consistently brilliant results for such a broad range of wineries.

Although MR chardonnays have grabbed the headlines over the last 12 months or so, (not to mention some extraordinary semillon and sauvignon blanc) it is this familiar red that is the mainstay of the region's international reputation.

The names of the top producers fire up fond memories of tasting exquisite vintages of cabernets and cabernet blends: Moss Wood, Cape Mentelle, Cullen Wines, Chateau Xanadu, Vasse Felix. However there are numerous other, less recognised local wineries that are producing cabernet of great distinction. It is only a matter of time before these too join the ranks of Australia's best.

What is it, then, that makes Margaret River so good at producing great cab. sauv.? It's simple: soil, climate and some inspired winemaking. Rich gravelly loams over a limestone base form the perfect foundations for cabernet vines. The mild maritime climate and clockwork seasons make for an excellent ripening environment. Then mix the latest technology, time-honoured tradition and innovative technique, and some great wines result.

It was Cabernet Sauvignon that put Margaret River on the Australian winemaking map. Indeed, much of the region's reputation stems from Cape Mentelle's remarkable back-to-back Jimmy Watson Trophy wins in 1982 and '83 for its now legendary early cabernets.

Yet despite all MR cab. sauv. having some distinctive characteristics, separate wines remain very much individuals. For example, if ever an argument needed to be mounted for the importance of terroir, the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon provides it. There is a delightful suppleness, a softness which other Margaret River labels do not have. However the wines age as well as any, sustained by their soft tannins and the flavour which is there right from the outset. At the other end of the scale there is the mighty Chateau Xanadu Cabernet Reserve, which boasts intense fruit, power, oak and complexity. It has real long-term cellaring potential and is among the very best in the region.

Of the cabernet blends, the Cullen Cabernet Merlot is among the finest in Australia. The fragrant nose, bold berry flavours, tight structure and tremendous complexity offer the quintessential packaging of its cab. sauv., merlot and cab. franc components. Yet it's the Cabernet Sauvignon heart that stamps the wine with its greatness.