Cabernet Franc

Raats Red Jasper, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Grapes 81% Cabernet Franc, 13% Malbec, 2% Cabernet, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot   Facts Cabernet Franc happens to be one of my favorite grapes. Unfortunately, good Cab Franc is rarely cheap, and cheap Cab Franc is rarely good. Somehow, Raats seem to have both of these bases covered. South Africa might be onto something here. Raats winery are big proponents of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Now, maybe I’m missing something, but when I…

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Inkblot by Michael David Winery, Cabernet Franc, Lodi, California.

Grapes Mainly Cabernet Franc, with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah blended in.   Facts Have you ever been head-butted in the face by a wine? No? Pour yourself a glass of the Inkblot and you will be! The name should give you a not-so-subtle clue as to what the Michael~David winery are trying to achieve with this juice! With that said, Michael~David aren’t exactly known for their subtle style of winemaking anyway….

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Lamadrid Cabernet Franc, Agrelo, Argentina

Grapes 100% Cabernet Franc   Facts Cabernet Franc isn’t exactly the first grape that springs to mind when you think of Argentina. Maybe that’s why this one wasn’t that pricey! Cab Franc shouldn’t be named the “red headed stepchild” of Argentine grapes; it’s actually more like the: “some guy who showed up a party (hosted by a guy named: ‘Mal Bec’) without an invitation, and was ignored by everyone there, even though he has a…

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Le Claux Delorme, Valencay, Loire Valley, France.

Grapes 40% Gamay, 30% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Pinot Noir   Facts If you were to make a list of the red wines coming out of France, Loire Valley reds would certainly come near the bottom; not because of quality, but for the fact it’s one of the more overlooked wine regions. Loire reds have a tendency to be overshadowed by the whites from famed Sancerre, Vouvray, Pouilly Fume and Muscadet regions, and certainly…

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Alexander Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, Sonoma County.

Grape 100% Cabernet Franc   Facts A well-made Cabernet Franc is without a doubt one of my favorite wines; although very few wineries produce a pure varietal wine from this little-know Bordeaux grape, and it’s usually overshadowed in blends by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Pure expressions of Cab Franc are fairly difficult to find, but I can’t encourage you enough to try and seek out a bottle for yourself and let me know your thoughts!…

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Virginia Wine Industry Doubles in Five Years.

According to a new study, the wine industry in Virginia is now worth almost three-quarters of a billion dollars. What’s even more impressive is that the figure has more than doubled in the last five years, from $362 million to $747 million, this whilst the country has faced one of its worst economic recessions. While unemployment soared nationally, in Virginia, the number of wine industry jobs increased from 3,162 to 4,753 between 2005 and 2010….

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Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2008

  Grape 100% Cabernet Franc. Studies suggest that Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.   Facts Cabernet Franc is the most important red grape of the Loire, and was thought to have been brought from there from the Bordeaux region. Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are (arguably, as always) the most important white grapes in the region.

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Chateau Pipeau, Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2008

  Grapes 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc – I’m kind taking an educated guess based on previous vintages, since they don’t currently have an updated tech sheet for the ‘08 on the Chateau Pipeau website. They should probably get on that.   Facts The family-owned Château Pipeau wine estate was founded in 1929. Château Pipeau is often viewed as a decent-priced entry into good Bordeaux. The wines vary in price and rating…

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