By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
Labor Day has come and gone. Fall is here. It is time to try some new red wines that you may not be familiar with.
One of my favorites is a cousin to Cabernet Sauvignon called Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc is very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but it ripens about a week earlier. As a result, it tends to thrive in slightly cooler climates than Cabernet Sauvignon, such as the Loire Valley in France. It was established in that area during the 17th century. It is said that Cardinal Richelieu had cuttings of the vines brought to an abbey in the region. He charged an abbot named Breton to tend the grapes and they flourished. Breton became associated with the grapes.
There was quite a bit of controversy concerning the two types of grapes, especially as Cabernet Sauvignon became so popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1997, a DNA test found that Cabernet Franc had crossed with Sauvignon Blanc, and this is how Cabernet Sauvignon was born.
Cabernet Franc became a sort of insurance policy to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Bordeaux region of France as part of the famous Bordeaux blend. This blend consists of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser degree, Petite Verdoux and Malbec. (Some small amounts of Carmenere are used by some producers occasionally.)
Cabernet Franc shares many of the same flavors and aromas as Cabernet Sauvignon, but Cabernet Franc is a lighter wine. Cabernet Franc tends to have a big nose with lots of perfume and lots of fruit – most notably raspberries and black currants. It also exhibits hints of violets and graphite. It produces a wine with a smooth mouth feel without all the tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. It was known for many years, as a result, as a perfect blending wine. This was considered its primary use for some years.
Cabernet Franc has ascended in popularity over the past 20 years and is now produced all over the world. In the Bordeaux region alone, over 25,000 acres of Cabernet is produced for the great blend. However, in Loire it has gained great popularity as a single variety. In Italy over 20,000 acres are being produced. The Italians blend it with Cabernet Sauvignon and call it Cabernet. Hungary has difficulty growing Cabernet Sauvignon; however, Cabernet Franc does just fine. Due to the climate and the nutrients in the soil it exhibits more tannins than in other areas.
Cabernet Franc is also becoming more popular in Canada, where it is planted along Lake Erie and in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. It has been planted extensively in Ontario along the Niagara Peninsula. California winemakers who wanted to make a Bordeaux blend started planting Cabernet Franc. They market their wine as Meritage.
More recently it has caught the attention of wine growers in cooler regions. Cabernet Franc is grown on Long Island and the around the Finger Lakes in New York. It is also grown in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Washington state. In Washington, Chateau St. Michelle, Cold Creek Vineyard and Chinook Winery have all won gold medals with their Cabernet Franc.
Argentina plants Cabernet Franc second only to its favorite Malbec. Its popularity as a single varietal has grown by leaps and bounds. It is no longer considered just a blending grape.
So with cool nights approaching, find a bottle of Cabernet Franc and round up some friends. Enjoy this wonder wine variety and see if you agree with me that it stands up very well on its own.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He is on the tasting panels of Winemaker Magazine and Amate del Vino and is a certified wine educator and award-winning home winemaker. Email Ray with your wine questions or activities at
re***************@gm***.com
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