Have You Tried Cabernet Franc? Here Are Our Tasting Notes

By TOM MARQUART and PATRICK DARR

Cabernet franc has long been something of an enigma—once relegated in Bordeaux to a mere blending component, a distant star in the Loire galaxy, and treated like a Frankenstein experiment in California. Today, however, its true identity is finally emerging.

When Adam Casto became Ehlers Estate’s head winemaker in 2023, he gladly assumed responsibility for its pioneering cabernet franc program. Established in 1888 by a Danish immigrant and later steered to prominence by Jean and Sylviane Leducq, Ehlers owes its acclaim to that couple’s devotion to Bordeaux traditions and the introduction of French varietals to St. Helena. Cabernet franc has been part of the lineup since the 1980s—long before it was fashionable in this region.

“We were making cabernet franc before it was cool,” Casto remarks.

He rejects the notion that cabernet franc is only a blending component. It takes center stage in Cheval Blanc, a Premier Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion, and is the signature red grape of Chinon. Yet its international reputation has lagged behind its true potential.

“We’re finally catching up to lessons learned elsewhere,” he says. “In Napa, we’re seeing a shift in what consumers want.”

Today’s wine drinkers favor elegance and approachability—qualities that cabernet franc often delivers more readily than many cabernet sauvignons. The unripe green notes of the past are giving way to herbal aromas and a soft, silky mouthfeel.

To remind ourselves of Loire’s prowess with cabernet franc, we tried a couple of Chinons. Though the region is better known for chenin blanc and sauvignon blanc, its cabernet francs deserve more attention. Domaine de La Commanderie’s “Medevale” offers light, fruity pleasure for about $18 a bottle, while the richer “Tradition,” at roughly twice the price, brings added complexity. Both pour with the finesse of a fine pinot noir—minus the heavy, high-alcohol punch. We went back for more.

In the past, many producers overlooked terroir when planting cabernet franc, paying scant attention to soil and microclimate. Casto, by contrast, zeroes in on both. He’s learned that the vines thrive in gravelly topsoils over clay, that minimal irrigation concentrates flavors by keeping berries small, and that cooling breezes protect the grapes’ thin skins.

Ehlers Estate’s cabernet franc blend—90 percent franc with 10 percent merlot and cabernet sauvignon—nevertheless retains the grape’s distinct character. It greets the nose with violet and rosemary, and the palate with dense cherry and blackberry, accented by plum and graphite. The wine is intriguingly layered.

Casto occasionally diverts some franc fruit into a merlot-led blend to exploit their synergy. But it’s the pure cabernet franc that captures the imagination.

While the very best cabernet francs can be pricey, good values exist. In California, try Austin Hope; in the Finger Lakes, Herman Wiemer and Dr. Konstantin Frank; in Argentina, Trivento. We also admire Napa franc from Chappellet, Darioush, Acumen and Caladan. In the Loire, Yannick Amirault’s bottles—especially his entry-level Cote 50 at around $35—offer a compelling bargain next to many New World counterparts.

Decanting

Should you decant a wine?

Most of us buy wine for tonight’s dinner or the weekend, not for aging in a cellar. We uncork it, pour it, and drink it within 24 hours—no decanting required. That ritual belongs to collectors with extensive wine libraries.

Yet the small wine refrigerator has become a staple in many modern kitchens. A modest collection of a couple of dozen bottles is not unusual any longer.

When should you let wine breathe? It’s simpler than it seems. Decant when there’s sediment to remove or when oxygen will enhance the flavor profile. Yes, some restaurants make a theatrical show of decanting expensive bottles, but there’s actual science behind it. Sediment, no longer isolated to old bottles, is often seen in orange or unfiltered wines from new vintages.

Young and old wines both benefit from air exposure. An aged red might initially smell musty until oxygen releases its hidden floral notes. Meanwhile, young wines haven’t developed their complex aromas yet—15-20 minutes of air exposure can jumpstart this process. Try this experiment: smell your wine immediately after pouring, then again after it sits. You’ll notice evolution in quality bottles from Napa, Piedmont, Bordeaux, or Burgundy, though perhaps not in supermarket selections.

Most importantly, oxygen softens those mouth-puckering tannins in young reds, creating a smoother, more pleasant drinking experience.

While decanting rarely hurts young wines, proceed with caution for older vintages. We’ve watched delicate aromas in aged Burgundies vanish after decanting—though we still generally take that risk rather than serve sediment-filled wine.

Brine launch

Old Westminster Winery is hosting a special launch of its new wine, Brine, on Oct. 9 at its facility in Westminster. Made in the style of a Vinho Verde, the wine is a match for oysters and is a tribute to the Chesapeake Bay. For every bottle sold, $1 will be donated to Oyster Recovery Partnership.

See its website for more information, or see this LINK 

Wine picks

Corazon del Sol Cabernet Franc 2022 ($35). From a single block in a high-altitude vineyard in Argentina, this cabernet franc has good structure and complexity with fine tannins and generous, ripe fruit.
Corazon del Sol “Los Chacayes” Malbec 2023 ($35). Big and round mouthful of dark fruit flavors with balanced acidity and tannins. Silky yet powerful.

Corazon del Sol “Luminoso” GSM 2022 ($70). You don’t think of these Rhone grape varieties when it comes to Argentina, but winemaker Luciano Bastias has done a terrific job of unifying grenache, syrah and mourvedre to make a complex wine from vineyards 3,800 feet in elevation.

Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2022 ($19). This is a ridiculously good wine for the price.  An entry level wine for Capezzana, it is a lively and youthful blend of sangiovese (75 percent), cabernet sauvignon, canaiolo and cabernet franc.  Fermented in stainless steel and aged in large Slavonia oak barrels it has simple but delightful red fruit flavors.

Herdade do Rocim Mariana Vinho Regional Alentejo 2024 ($16). This is a delicious quaff that isn’t your customary white wine. A blend of antao vaz, arinto and alvarinho grapes, it is tangy yet supple with fruit forward flavors of pineapple and lime.