A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc 🍷

Image from Wikimedia Commons (Ursula Brühl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI),

Cabernet Franc (often referred to as Cab Franc) is a lesser know grape, but it’s actually the parent grape for both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon!

Nearly two-thirds of Cabernet Franc is grown in France, but Italy and the U.S. now have significant plantings.

Most famously, Cabernet Franc is used as the “third grape” in many Bordeaux blends.

While the Cabernet Franc grown in France tends to produce wines with lighter color, lighter body and higher acidity, Italy produces richer fruit flavors. The Sierra Foothills of northern California are producing fruit-forward, almost jammy wines with lower acidity.

Cabernet Franc’s adaptability and aromatic complexity make it both a standalone variety and a great blending component.

Generally, Cabernet Franc is medium-bodied, higher in acidity, and has softer tannins. Flavors attributed to Cabernet Franc include Raspberry, strawberry, red cherry and bell pepper.

The bell pepper notes come from methoxypyrazines in the grapes themselves, which are chemical compounds also found in green peppers. These chemical compounds are extracted from the grape skins during fermentation and maceration.

Serve a Cabernet Franc wine in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F after decanting for 30 minutes.

Behind the Cork™ - Virginia Wine Governor's Cup Winner: DuCard Cabernet Franc

2023 DuCard Vineyards Vintner Reserve Cabernet Franc ($60)

DuCard Vineyards has been growing grapes for nearly two decades at their property, nestled at the eastern edge of the Shenandoah National Park in the shadow of Old Rag Mountain and White Oak Canyon.

DuCard Vineyard wines are handmade using traditional methods, in their on-site winery, from grapes grown by them at their three local Madison County vineyard sites. 

While this level of authenticity was the norm 10 to 20 years ago as the Virginia wine industry was just getting started, it is less common now.  But DuCard considers it extremely important for producing high quality wines that express a sense of ‘place’ or local terroir.

Winemaker Julien Durantie was born in the Bordeaux wine region and spent his formative years working on his family’s vineyard in Entre-deux-Mers, as well as at other renowned estates, including Château Macchore and Châteaude Cappes. He’s been with DuCard since 2007.

This DuCard Vintner Reserve Cabernet Franc is produced from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes that are lightly crushed, cold-soaked overnight and fermented in an open fermenter with two punchdowns and one pumpover each day. Fermentation lasts 21 days before being barreled and aged in 3-4 year old French oak for nine months.

The DuCard Cabernet Franc is medium purple in color with a good nose of black fruit and some earthiness. It is medium-full bodied with medium acidity and tannin, great black fruit flavors along with the classic peppercorn flavors of Cab Franc, and a smooth and balanced finish. [ABV: 13%, TA: 5.5 g/L, pH:3.9, Residual Sugar: <0.1%]

DuCard Vintner Reserve Cabernet Franc is another winner of the Virginia Wine Governor’s Cup and included in the winner’s case. It’s a really nice wine that fits right in as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by DuCard Vineyards, Virginia Wine and Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Virginia Wine Governor's Cup Winner: Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc

2023 Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc ($42)

Located in the town of Clifton, VA and bordering the Bull Run River, Paradise Springs is the closest winery to Washington DC and the first in Fairfax County. The property was originally part of a land grant from Lord Fairfax in 1716.

The Paradise Springs Brown Bear Cabernet Franc comes from the Brown Bear Vineyard, located in the Shenandoah Valley AVA on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This site sits at an elevation of 1,100 to 1,500 feet.

Produced from 100% Cabernet Franc, the grapes were de-stemmed and placed into fermentation bins, where they were heated in a warm room and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted 14 days before the wine was pressed. It was then transferred into barrels, where it aged for 8 months in a mix of new and neutral French oak barrels.

This Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc is medium ruby in color with delicate aromas of black cherry and plum. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has flavors of cherry, raspberry and blueberries, with medium tannin, medium acidity and an easy finish.

Paradise Springs Cabernet Franc is another winner of the Virginia Wine Governor’s Cup and included in the winner’s case. It’s a very nice wine at an affordable price making it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review.

Media Sample Provided by Paradise Springs Winery, Virginia Wine and Donna White Communications

Celebrate Cab Franc Day with Domaine Bousquet Gaia Organic!

2021 Domaine Bousquet ($20)

Hey, wine lovers! Today, December 4th, is Cabernet Franc Day! And what better way to celebrate than with Gaia Organic Cabernet Franc from Domaine Bousquet.

GAIA, the Greek goddess of the earth, has been the Bousquet family’s inspiration since founding their winery in 1997 when they pioneered and cleared virgin land in the high reaches of Tupungato’s Gualtallary district of Argentina.

From their start, Gaia wines have been crafted with a French winemaking sensibility and made from organic fruit grown at a cool 1,200-m/4,000-ft altitude.

This 100% Cabernet Franc was hand harvested and cold macerated for 72 hours. It was fermented with native yeast for 12 days followed by an additional 14 days of maceration. It was then aged in 100% used French oak for 10 months before being bottled. (ABV: 14.5%, Total Acidity: 5.15 g/L, pH: 3.67, Residual Sugar: 2.02 g/L).

GAIA Organic Cabernet Sauvignon is deep purple in color with delicate red fruit aromas. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has red fruit flavors, plum and medium-high tannin (decant before serving) and finishes with a touch of fruity sweetness.

Cheers to Cab Franc Day and this delicious GAIA Organic Cabernet Franc from Domaine Bousquet. A great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week.

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet

Behind the Cork™ - All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc - A Treat from Flora Springs

2021 Flora Springs Napa Valley All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc ($75)

Flora Springs has been producing one-of-a-kind Halloween-themed labels for quite some time and this year's All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc is a limited-production wine that is a perfect sip as the changing weather creeps in, from Halloween movie marathons to autumn-inspired dinner parties.

This year, Flora Springs General Manager Nat Komes, the creative spirit behind this annual endeavor, worked with comic book illustrator, graphic novelist and digital comics pioneer, Steve Ellis, to develop this years’ label.

This wine is produced from 100% Cabernet Franc that was aged 18 months in French oak barrels. And it is special - only 350 cases of this wine were produced.

This Flora Spring Napa Valley All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc is deep purple in color with aromas of rich dark fruit and a hint of jelly bean. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has delicious black berry and black cherry flavors along with ripe currant. The oak aging adds some subtle touches of brown sugar and vanilla. This wine is an interesting combination of being full-bodied yet delicate. It finishes beautifully -- long and super smooth.

Treat yourself this Halloween, or any time this Fall, with this delicious Flora Spring Napa Valley All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc. It’s an amazing wine that is this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week! Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Flora Springs via Forte Mare