It is lighter in color and has less tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, making a bright pale and elegant red wine. It is commonly used in blends to give additional finesse and perfume to more stout grapes.
Cabernet Franc is very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in several aspects, but it ripens at least a week earlier. This characteristic allows it to do better in cooler climates than Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the reasons why it's very well adapted to areas like the the Loire Valley (where it is also known as Breton) in France.
High yields can be a problem. Over-cropped vineyards most likely will produce wines with "green" aromas and flavors (since over-cropped vines cannot ripe the grapes to full maturity).
- PRODUCED AS A VARIETAL MAINLY IN:
Australia
California, USA
Eastern Europe
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Loire Valley, France
South America
Virginia, USA
Washington, USA
- PRODUCED AS A BLEND MAINLY IN:
- Australia
Bordeaux, France.
California, USA
Canada
- MOSTLY BLENDED WITH:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Malbec
Merlot
- STYLE(S):
- Fresh
Spicy
- AROMAS AND FLAVORS:
- Bell pepper
Berries
Black cherry
Black olive
Boisenberry
Briar
Cherry
Currant
Herb notes
Humus
Juicy red fruit
Mineral
Mint
Plum
Raspberry
Spice
Tobacco
Violet
- ATYPICAL:
- Currant
Berries
- BODY:
- Light
- TEXTURE:
- Crisp
Elegant
- ACIDITY:
- Medium-High
Crisp
- TANNINS:
- Medium
- OLD WORLD:
- Lighter in body
Higher acidity
- NEW WORLD:
- Ripe fruit
Muscular
- IF FROM A COOL AREA:
- Vegetal
- IF FROM A HOT AREA:
- Jammy
- WHEN YOUNG:
- Ripe and Focused
- WHEN IT AGES:
- Leather
Tea
Cedar
- REMARKS:
- Most succesfully produced when in a blend