red grape · major international
Cabernet Franc
Southwest France, likely Basque Country
Say it
kab·er·nayfrahn
Final C in Franc is silent in French; the vowel is nasal — say 'frahn' with air through the nose. Most English speakers anglicize to 'FRAHNK.'
On the palate
Body
medium
Acidity
medium plus
Tannin
medium
Aromatics
pronounced
raspberryred cherryblack currantvioletbell peppergraphite
How you spot it blind: Bell-pepper pyrazine fused with violet florals and red-fruit warmth
The story
First written down · 1631, Loire Valley, France
In 1997 Bowers and Meredith (UC Davis) confirmed via microsatellite DNA in Nature Genetics that Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc are the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Where it lives
Loire Valley, France · Bordeaux, France · Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy · Tuscany, Italy · Napa Valley, USA
Shows up as
still redrosésparklingChinonBourgueilSaumur-Champigny
If you like this, try
Also answers to Cab Franc, Breton.
Shop our Cabernet Franc bottles