Cabernet Franc (Everything you need to know) | Grapes 101

This grape is parent to one of the most popular grape varieties in the world. It is often found in some of the world's most expensive wines yet it rarely sees the spotlight. Hi I'm Master of Wine Christine Marsilio and Head Wine Educator for Wine Folly. Let's look beyond the shadow of Cabernet Sauvignon to discover Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc takes center stage in some of the world's finest wines such as Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux. However it's commonly overshadowed by its progeny Cabernet Sauvignon. This is too bad because Cabernet Franc can produce a wider range of styles than Cabernet Sauvignon and therefore might be more interesting. To prove my point we've got two very different styles of Cabernet Franc to try today. We've got Domaine de Noblais from Chinon in the Loire Valley which should give us a fruity, easy drinking, un-oaked, light-bodied style thanks to the cool climate. And we've got a 100% Cabernet Franc from Bordeaux which is rare. Actually only 80 cases of this were made. It's from Paradise Rescued Block 1 from the famed 2015 vintage. This will be much riper because of the warmer climate and the vintage and it will probably have some oak flavors too. Cabernet Franc grows throughout northern France and Bordeaux. In northern France you'll find Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley. Namely it's mostly grown in the appellations of Chinon, Saumur Champagny and Burgoye. These cool climate appellations are synonymous with the light-bodied refreshing styles of Cabernet Franc. In Bordeaux where it's a bit warmer you'll still find Cabernet Franc grown. However it is often found on the cooler soils of the right bank. Here it's often blended with Merlot and sometimes Cabernet Sauvignon. Look for it in the appellations of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion. This overlooked variety has a huge range of flavors. Let's check some of them out by diving into these wines. Our wine from Chinon says on the label. That means cherry in French so probably we'll find some cherry flavors. That makes sense with the cooler climate here. In cooler climates we often find more red fruit flavor whereas in warmer climates we often find more black fruit flavors. Our wine from Bordeaux doesn't tell us much on the label but it's common for winemakers here to age their wines in oak. And this wine is seven years old so we'll probably find some aged characteristics too such as leather and cigar box. I think it's time to check. Let's compare these two wines side by side. So if we look at the color of these wines we can see that they're quite different. The Chinon is kind of a pale ruby color almost purple whereas the Bordeaux is this garnet color and it's garnet because it's older. Let's check out what they're like on the nose. On the nose the Chinon has this violet flavor red cherry a pencil lead note and leafiness all consistent with that cool climate. The nose of Bordeaux is much riper ripe black cherry ripe blackberry. We also have that spiciness that nutmeg aroma from oak and there's this leathery aroma coming from the bottle age. Let's check the palate to see how they're similar and or different. Wow they both have really high levels of acidity which is a hallmark for Cabernet Franc. They both also have some level of tannin but not as high as you would expect say from a Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannin in the Chinon is much grippier while the tannin in the Bordeaux is much smoother and riper and that's partially to do with the climate difference but also the difference in age. The Chinon is a much lighter fresher style of wine where the Bordeaux has a much more riper kind of full-bodied structure to it. The range of style here is not something easily done by many grapes. Cabernet Franc is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot but if you're looking for some amazing single varietal Cabernet Franc follow me. Over in New York state and Ontario Canada it's a cool climate where you'll find refreshing and exuberant examples of this grape. Head down to Mendoza in Argentina. These high altitude wines combine the floral character of the Loire with the body and heft of Bordeaux. And finally in Tuscany thanks to the Mediterranean climate you'll find some of the ripest boldest and most tannic examples of Cabernet Franc. So what does good Cabernet Franc cost and what should you pair it with? Truly exceptional Cabernet Franc can cost you over $150 a bottle however because it's often overshadowed by Cabernet Sauvignon you can still find some amazing examples for really great prices. For example my Bordeaux today cost around $25 and the Chinon was around $15. And just as with Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc can improve with age becoming more leathery and savory over time. When it comes to food Cabernet Franc is a great match with many different types thanks to its high level of acidity. Tuna steak works really well for the lighter styles from cooler climates but if you're having roasted lamb or beef burgers those work really well with the fuller bodied oaky styles from warmer climates. If you want to learn more about Cabernet Franc or any other grape varieties make sure you subscribe to Wine Folly using the link below. And if you want more awesome video content make sure you like and subscribe to this channel to find out more. Cheers!