While Cabernet Sauvignon is not an indigenous variety of Italy, growers in several regions in the country have planted it and producers are making various styles. In Friuli and the Veneto regions in the north, the wines are often medium-bodied with moderate tannins and flavors of berry, cassis and olive along with subdued spice notes such as thyme and sage. These are Cabernets meant to be consumed within five years; pair with pastas with bolognese sauce or grilled red meats.

Cabernet Sauvignon is also planted in other Italian regions, most notably Tuscany, where it is a more full-bodied, ageworthy red. The most famous examples are from the Bolgheri district along Tuscany's west coast; these are powerful, deeply concentrated wines that can age for three or four decades. Wines such as these should only be consumed after a decade; pair them with the finest cheeses such as Parmgiano-Reggiano or with the finest sirloin.