CorkonomicsThe economics of wine production, collection, and vineyards
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Vineyard land · Pauillac≈$2,798,250 a hectare▼ down 17% on 20232024Opening price · Château Lafite Rothschild 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 17% on the year beforeSold at auction · Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, DRC 2019$22,917 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Burgundy grand cru (Pinot Noir)$48–283US duty on wine from · Canada+50%since Aug 2026Everyday bottle in a US shop$13.77 a litre▼ down 1.3% in a yearSep 2026Vineyard land · Margaux≈$1,567,020 a hectare▼ down 7% on 20232024Opening price · Château Cheval Blanc 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 22% on the year beforeSold at auction · La Tâche Grand Cru, DRC 2018$5,417 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Champagne prestige cuvée$26–89US duty on wine from · Australia+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte-Rôtie≈$1,511,055 a hectare▲ up 8% on 20232024Opening price · Château Mouton Rothschild 2025≈$336 a bottle▲ up 19% on the year beforeSold at auction · Richebourg Grand Cru, DRC 2012$3,542 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Bordeaux classified growth (2nd–5th)$17–61US duty on wine from · New Zealand+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte de Nuits grand cru≈$7,275,450 a hectare2019Opening price · Château Palmer 2025≈$268 a bottle▼ down 19% on the year beforeVineyard land · Pomerol≈$2,238,600 a hectare2023
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New to wine? Start with the short lessons, then look up any word you do not know.

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Cabernet Sauvignon

The big, bold red. Dark, firm and built to go with a steak.

Say it: cab-er-NAY so-vin-YOHN · Save

A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with the flavours it is known for

Cabernet Sauvignon in a minute

Tastes of
  • Blackcurrant
  • Black cherry
  • Cedar
  • A hint of mint
Most famous in
Bordeaux and Napa Valley
What to try next
If you like it, try Merlot for something softer, or Syrah for something spicier.
MerlotSyrah

How it feels in the glass

Body
LightFull
Tannin
SoftGrippy
Acidity
SoftZingy

Body is how heavy the wine feels. Tannin is the dry grip of strong tea. Acidity is the mouth-watering freshness of lemonade. How to taste wine

What growers are paid for it: Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Napa County, 2025 crush, $8,864–$9,002 a ton (2025). Every region compared

At the table

What to eat with it

Steak, lamb, hard cheese.

The firm grip of Cabernet softens next to rich, fatty meat, and the meat tastes better for it.

Wine with food: the simple rules

A grilled steak, hard cheese and a glass of dark red wine by an open fire
The business side

Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most widely planted wine grape (about 340,000 ha, OIV) and the variety behind the two most valuable red-wine markets, Bordeaux's Left Bank and Napa Valley. Its economics differ sharply by region: Napa District 4 Cabernet has been the most expensive commonly reported grape in the United States per ton, while Bordeaux estates grow their own and no public grape price exists at the classified level.

Economics

Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most widely planted wine grape (about 340,000 ha, OIV) and the variety behind the two most valuable red-wine markets, Bordeaux's Left Bank and Napa Valley. Its economics differ sharply by region: Napa District 4 Cabernet has been the most expensive commonly reported grape in the United States per ton, while Bordeaux estates grow their own and no public grape price exists at the classified level.

Key facts

World plantings
≈ 340,000 ha — the most of any varietyOIV 2017
Napa grape price
Reported each year by district in the Crush Report; District 4 Cabernet is the highest-priced major varietyCDFA / USDA NASS
Typical yield at top estates
≈ 30–45 hl/ha (Médoc); 2–4 tons/acre (Napa)

The numbers, for the curious

All regions →
InputLowMidHighUnitSource
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Napa County average2024 8,7009,1469,146USD/tonNapa County Agricultural Crop Report 2…
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, per kilogram2024 101010USD/kgCorkonomics estimate from the inputs o…
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, Napa County, 2025 crush2025 8,8648,9339,002USD/tonCalifornia Grape Crush Report 2025

Where the inputs come from

  1. Napa County Agricultural Crop Report 2024
  2. Corkonomics estimate from the inputs on this page
  3. California Grape Crush Report 2025, preliminary (CDFA / USDA NASS, March 2026)

Where it grows

Vineyards in BordeauxRegionBordeauxThe largest fine-wine region by volume and the deepest secondary market: the 1855 classified growths, the…Vineyards in Napa ValleyRegionNapa ValleyThe New World's only deep collectible market, and the wine region with the most transparent grape prices in…Vineyards in TuscanyRegionTuscanyHome of the 'super Tuscans' — Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Masseto — whose Bordeaux-variety wines from Bolgheri…

Famous wines

All famous wines →
Château Lafite Rothschild estate, Gironde, FranceCarruades de LafiteBordeauxVineyards (Premier Grand Cru Classé A) near Château Cheval Blanc, Saint-Émilion, FranceChâteau Cheval BlancBordeauxVineyard landscape in Pessac-Léognan, Graves, BordeauxChâteau Haut-BrionBordeauxChâteau Lafite Rothschild, BordeauxChâteau Lafite RothschildBordeauxChâteau Latour, Pauillac, BordeauxChâteau LatourBordeauxChâteau Lynch-BagesChâteau Lynch-BagesBordeauxChâteau Margaux in Bordeaux, FranceChâteau MargauxBordeauxChâteau Mouton RothschildChâteau Mouton RothschildBordeaux

Sources

  1. California Grape Crush Report (prices per ton by variety and district), CDFA / USDA NASS, 2025. Retrieved 3 September 2026.
  2. OIV Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties, OIV, 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2026.
Last reviewed: September 2026Report an error on this page

Related

RegionBordeauxRegionNapa ValleyRegionTuscanyProducerChâteau Haut-BrionProducerChâteau Lafite RothschildProducerChâteau LatourProducerChâteau Lynch-BagesProducerChâteau MargauxProducerChâteau Mouton Rothschild