The Many Faces of Cabernet Franc
by Tom Wolf
The Many Faces of Cabernet Franc
by Tom Wolf
The Loire Valley’s Touraine region may be home to some of France’s grandest châteaux, but when it comes to its wines, the region remains thoroughly paysan, and free of pomp and ceremony. Wine and food are paramount to the spirit and culture here, and made primarily in the image of the weeknight table, impromptu picnic, or barbecue. Cabernet Franc is the star red grape in this rural, central stretch of the Valley and its expressions are as varied, complex, and enchanting as the different personalities and terroirs behind them. In the hands of the endlessly thoughtful and probing Thierry Germain, Cab Franc can take on a singular purity, texture, and seriousness that transcends the variety altogether. Or, in the cellar of the bon vivant and community-oriented Breton family, this grape soars to its joyous and exuberant limits, resulting in reds and rosés that belong on the table of every potluck.
Even within a single domaine, Cabernet Franc can take on nuanced personas depending on the parcel or wine style. Domaine Charles Joguet and Bernard Baudry, for instance, have long paved the way in the Loire for single-vineyard cuvées that showcase the most special sites in their appellation of Chinon. Perhaps none is more emblematic than Joguet’s “Clos de la Dioterie,” which is made from nearly 100-year-old vines and exhibits a depth, elegance, and density that will evolve beautifully over several decades or pair perfectly with a ribeye or prime rib today. Joguet’s Chinon Rosé, meanwhile, offers almost the complete opposite experience—peppery, citrusy, and delicate, this bottling will sing alongside all kinds of spring produce (which the Loire, by the way, is also famous for).
If you haven’t embraced the endless charms of Cabernet Franc lately, now is the perfect time to change that as there have never been so many beautiful expressions of the grape as there are today.
Wines In The Collection
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
Huguette is a silky, peppery Cabernet Franc from vines over a century in age.
France | Loire
Huguette is a silky, peppery Cabernet Franc from vines over a century in age.
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