Today we are going to talk about a grape variety, that if you have read my previous articles you should probably heard of. If you haven’t read it, you should know about it too, because it is one of the most traditional variety of red wine making in the history. Everyone is aware of and drinks his offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon but now I would like to introduce his dad, the Cabernet Franc.
Unfortunately still an overlooked grape, because most of the winemakers still using it as a minority in the blend next to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, specially in Bordeaux and Bordeaux style wines all around the World. But there are some regions where this variety can show its true potential as a varietal wine, and I want you to focus on that if we are looking for some real treasures of Cabernet Franc!
The story starts with Bordeaux of course where on the Left Bank of the Gironde river still used in blend with the previously mentioned grape varieties altough on the Right Part of the river mostly in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, our lovely Cabernet Franc thrives here. It is mainly because of the cooler type of soils and it buds and ripens more than a week earlier than his offspring. The most famous of all the Cabernet Franc based Bordeaux wines is Cheval Blanc where you will see the delicious flavours and aromas with the ageability of sometimes as much as 30 to 50 years or in great vintages even more!
The other great Cabernet Franc producing region of France is the Loire Valley with such appellations as Chinon, Anjou, Saumur, St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil and Bourgueil. If you find a bottle of red with these names written on their label, you can be sure of having a good bottle of pure Cabernet Franc in your hands. They will show you flavours of raspberries, blackcurrant leaves and some herbacous notes with delicate tannins and medium body with lighter color.
These are the characteristic you will find if you are having an Italian example most likely from Friuli or from the the New World such as Western Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and the northern part of America (Virginia, Long Island, Washington State of USA but now there are increasing plantings in Canada as well).
And then there is another region started to focus on this great grape variety producing now world class varietal Cabernet Franc wines and it is the region of Villány in Hungary. This southern most region of the country has just the perfect conditions to show off premium quality red wines with just about the ripeness and oak ageing that puts it on the wine map of Cabernet Franc. So much so that in 2006 Hungary’s first complete PDO (protected designation of origin) system has been established here and from 2014 has reworked its PDO system again and created a new brand linked to the region. This single varietal wine made from 100% Cabernet Franc of premium and super premium categories are distributed under the Villányi Franc brand name. It means if you see Villányi Franc on the label, you are making a very good deal! And plus they can age beautifully, trust me, I have tried!
There is still no fully substantiated evidence of the origin of Cabernet Franc but we can be sure that once we open it with a bottle, it will no longer be an important factor for us. The only thing will matter is its delicious and delicate flavours and aromas in our palate…
I hope you liked this little guide of the lesser known Cabernet and I got you some tips and advices which place you should look for to have a special bottle in your cellar or on your dinner table!
Written by Enikő Nagy
