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American Cabernet 101

5 out of 5 starsTrusted by 20,000+ students

America's flagship red, region by region

One grape, four great regions. Follow Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley and Sonoma to Paso Robles and Washington's Columbia Valley, and learn to taste the difference.

  • 8 chapters
  • 8 videos
  • 2h
  • certificate
$0$99.99
lifetime access · usd

30-day money-back guarantee

American Cabernet 101 course mark

Introduction

Discover Cabernet Sauvignon, the American way

From 1825 plantings in the Pacific Northwest to the 1976 Judgment of Paris and beyond, Cabernet Sauvignon became America's defining red grape. This course gets you fluent in the four regions that made it happen, and what each one tastes like in the glass.

Curriculum

Four regions, end to end

  1. Chapter 1

    The Rise of US Cabernet

    From 1825 Pacific Northwest roots through Prohibition and the 1976 Judgment of Paris to Cabernet as a national pillar.

  2. Chapter 2

    Napa Valley

    The North Coast benchmark: geography, climate, mountains, soils, and the key AVAs behind Napa's iconic Cabernet.

  3. Chapter 3

    Sonoma County

    Napa's cooler, more varied neighbor: climate, soils, key AVAs, and how Sonoma Cabernet differs from Napa.

  4. Chapter 4

    Paso Robles

    The Central Coast's Cabernet stronghold: extreme diurnal swings, calcareous soils, and the AVAs that matter.

  5. Chapter 5

    Columbia Valley

    Washington's high-desert Cabernet country: climate, geography, soils, and how it stacks up against California.

  6. Chapter 6

    Tasting experience

    Taste along with Madeline Puckette through a flight of Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernets from the Columbia Valley.

  7. Chapter 7

    Certificate challenge

    Ace the 30-question quiz finale and earn your American Cabernet 101 certificate.

Inside the course

One grape, four wine countries

The basics

What makes American Cabernet unique

Cabernet Sauvignon grows from Washington's high desert to California's Central Coast, and every region stamps it differently. We'll cover the 200-year story, from the first Pacific Northwest plantings in 1825 to the Judgment of Paris, and the terroir that shapes each region's style.

Goals

Taste the regions blind

Learn to identify what separates a plush Napa Valley Cabernet from a firmer mountain wine, a Sonoma bottling from a Paso Robles one, and California fruit from Washington's structure and acidity. Read a label and know what's in the bottle before you uncork.

Tasting

A guided flight with Madeline Puckette

The tasting module pairs you with Wine Folly co-founder Madeline Puckette for a guided flight of Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernets, from the Indian Wells bottling to single-vineyard wines, so you can taste the lessons, not just read them.

Course wines

Get to know America's Cabernets

Compare Cabernet Sauvignon across the four regions that define it, then taste along with Madeline through the Chateau Ste. Michelle flight in the tasting module.
  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    Cabernet Sauvignon

    Napa Valley

    From plush valley-floor wines to firm, mineral mountain bottlings. America's benchmark Cabernet.

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    Cabernet Sauvignon

    Sonoma County

    Cooler sites and varied soils give Sonoma Cab brighter acidity and a savory edge next to Napa.

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    Cabernet Sauvignon

    Paso Robles

    Rich, ripe fruit with earthy, spicy notes, shaped by extreme day-night temperature swings.

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    Cabernet Sauvignon

    Columbia Valley

    Washington's high-desert Cab: dark fruit, fine structure, and natural acidity from cool nights.

Every region, grape, and map at your fingertips. keep studying with Wine Folly+ →

Free preview

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Your wine guides

Taught by world-class wine educators

American Cabernet spans four very different wine countries. You'll learn from a James Beard award-winning author of the bestselling Wine Folly book and one of the world's most credentialed wine educators. Over 20,000 students taught.
Madeline Puckette

Madeline Puckette

Wine Folly Founder

Madeline leads the tasting experience, walking you through a flight of Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernets.

Wine Folly co-founder, James Beard Award winner, and New York Times bestselling author.

Read full bio
Madeline co-founded Wine Folly in 2011 and turned it into the world's go-to wine cheat sheet.

She's a James Beard Award winner, a New York Times bestselling author, and was named both Wine Blogger of the Year and Wine Communicator of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Her articles, infographics, and videos are what made wine knowledge feel approachable to a generation of drinkers.
Christine Marsiglio

Christine Marsiglio

Director of Education

Christine anchors the regional deep dives: the terroir, AVAs, and styles that set each Cabernet country apart.

Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.

Read full bio
Christine is our Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.

Before Wine Folly, she taught the WSET Diploma in London and contributed to the latest global Diploma materials. She also led tastings at Decanter, running panels and organizing the Decanter World Wine Awards.

She's the rare expert who can teach at the Master of Wine level and still meet a beginner where they are.

student reviews

What students are saying

“It provided a clear and well-structured overview of American Cabernet Sauvignon, covering the key regions and their unique terroirs to the stylistic differences between Napa Valley powerhouses and cooler-climate expressions from Washington. The course shows details about weather, soils, the differences and concepts like aging potential, blending practices. Overall, it is a recommended course for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of one of America’s most iconic wines.”

Zuleika H.

“I've enjoyed a lot the course. My knowledge about north-american wines comes mainly from textbooks, and so, the link between terroir and wine is ok but it is not discussed in depth. This course emphasizes such a link a lot. The video by Madeline tasting three CS from Saint Michelle at the end is very informative and useful”

Reinaldo P.

“The American Cabernet 101 course exceeded my expectations in every way. The material was presented in a clear and engaging manner. The course was both enjoyable and educational. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their appreciation of American Cabernet wines.”

Linda B.

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American Cabernet 101

$0$99.99
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5 out of 5 stars
  • 8 chapters across four Cabernet regions
  • 2+ hours of expert video
  • Guided tasting with Madeline Puckette
  • Lifetime access, yours forever
  • American Cabernet 101 certificate ($50 value)
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Next step

Ready to go deeper?

Wine 201 takes you from confident regional drinker to certified wine professional, taught by the same Wine Folly instructors.

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Other regions to discover

Each course is taught by the same Wine Folly team. Pick a region, dive in.