Cabernet Sauvignon

Dry. Cabernet has very little residual sugar — its richness comes from ripe dark fruit, firm tannins and oak, not sweetness. A big, fruit-forward California Cab can taste riper, but it's still a dry wine.

Bold and structured: blackcurrant and dark berry fruit, with notes of tobacco, pepper and cedar from oak aging. Firm tannins give it that grippy, mouth-drying finish and let it age for years.

Rich, fatty food — steak, burgers, lamb, aged cheddar. The fat softens Cabernet's tannins while the wine cuts through the richness. Avoid delicate dishes; Cab will run them over.

Cabernet is bolder, more tannic and more structured. Merlot is softer, rounder and more fruit-forward. Both are dry; if you want power with a steak, go Cab, and if you want smooth and easy-drinking, go Merlot.