Delicious, floral and impressive: The 8 best Cabernet franc wines
OUR expert takes another look at cabernet franc and is more than impressed.
Discover some fine Cabernet franc wines with our expert
Cabernet franc is often regarded as being a bit of a C-list grape variety. It’s good in blends, so the story goes, but it rarely stars alone. Recently, though, people have begun to realise that it’s better than they thought.
It’s one of the parents of cabernet sauvignon and I’m beginning to think it makes more complete wines than its offspring. Here are some worth checking out…
From left:
Domaine de Rosette Chinon 2014, Loire, France £9.49 each when you buy six bottles, Marks & Spencer, 13% alcohol
This is delicious, with floral black-cherry fruit and some blackcurrant richness. It’s kept fresh with a nice hint of green and chalky graininess.
Domaine Filliatreau Saumur Champigny 2014, Loire, France £12.50, yapp.co.uk (01747 860423), 12.5% alcohol
This is a lovely example of cabernet franc with juicy, ripe, sweet cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, but it’s still light on its feet.
Oldenburg Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2011, Stellenbosch, South Africa £21.50, bbr.com (0800 280 2440), 14.5% alcohol
Rich and intense, this South African cabernet franc has a good floral edge to the sweet, smooth berry and black fruits. It’s a rich expression of this variety and is really satisfying.
Cep by Cep Saumur Champigny 2014, Loire, France £13.50, Oddbins, 12.5% alcohol
Fresh, sweet cherry fruit is the signature here. There’s a hint of pepperiness and subtle green herbal notes, with some chalkiness in the background. This is a very drinkable wine.
From left:
Château du Hureau Tuffe Saumur-Champigny 2012, Loire, France £12.20, hhandc.co.uk (020 7584 7927), 12.5% alcohol
This is perfumed, floral and gently sappy with delicious raspberry and red-cherry fruit. It’s pure, fresh and really appealing with a silky feel in the mouth.
Raats Cabernet Franc 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa £19.99, sawinesonline.co.uk (0330 134 8680), 14% alcohol
Raats is a South African winery that specialises in cabernet franc and this is a delicious example of the variety, with sleek, pure blackberry and black-cherry fruit along with a lovely, fine-grained, chalky edge.
Charles Joguet Chinon Cuvée Terroir 2011, Loire, France £13.80, tanners-wines.co.uk (01743 234455), 13% alcohol
This is aromatic, floral and brambly with some blackcurrant and subtle herb flavours. Juicy, mid-weight and focused, it’s a typical example of cabernet franc from the Loire valley.
La Croix de Chaintres Saumur Champigny 2013 Loire, France £12.79, Waitrose, 12.5% alcohol
This is lively and juicy with floral, sappy green-cherry and plum fruit. There’s also a nice stony edge to this juicy, honest and delicious wine.