Cabernet Franc is normally a varietal that is used as a supporting grape in Bordeaux blends (think Chateau Margaux). This grape is grown around the globe but is kind of the ugly duckling of the wine world (always the bridesmaid but never the bride). Well, that could be a thing of the past. Cab Franc is grown around the globe and doing especially well here in Canada as well as being the main traditional grape in Chinon and Anjou in the Loire Valley in France . It would seem that this varietal needs extra care in both the vineyard and the winemaking process, but when it is done right it is a grape that can more than stand on its own. We have had Cab Franc wines (or wines where Cab Franc is the dominant grape) from Canada , Chile , France , and New Zealand . These wines go from being herbal and aromatic to being grassy and vegetal with a barnyard scent on the nose (and yes that is a great thing). Our opinion is that the Old World (French) version is treated much mo...
