The Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest vine varieties in the south west of France. It is the ancestor of the Cabernet, notably that of the Cabernet Sauvignon.
It’s probably originated from the north of the Aquitaine area introduced along the Loire valley by Cardinal Richelieu. Extremely well acclimatized in the Anjou and Saumur Champigny areas, notably it’s the variety used in the making of Andy’s and Charly’s Foucault, the Clos Rougeard, one of the major wines of the Loire valley!
This variety is at its best on a sandy ground, but above all in often watered clay-limestone soils. Its well-rounded grains, and the color of the young leaves that take on a green to reddish tint, characterize the Cabernet Franc. It ‘s reputed for its subtle aromas of raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant and licorice violet.
Less tannic than the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Cabernet Franc, in the mouth reveals a lovely smoothness, meaty and flattering, the great vintages offering a beautiful potential for ageing.
Notably, we find it as part (up to 60%) in the extremely famous Cheval Blanc. It is grown in some twenty countries around the world, and continues to spread.
THE CABERNET FRANC
