Wine truc: Cabernet Franc = herbs

In some of the world's the finest wines, like those of Bordeaux, the Cabernet Franc grape is used sparingly as a blending element, adding a "herbaceous" note. As a varietal, however, the grape lacks prominence, despite some notable bottlers in the Loire region, such as Saumur-Champigny, Bourgueil and Chinon. To learn more about the grape, hie yourself o'er to the LA Times for an introduction to Cabernet Franc. Since the LAT is a California publication, be prepared for a report that emphasizes the grape's status in that state and in Washington, but there's a good dose of France in the article's blend. Should you not have the energy to follow the link, here are the salient tasting hints to remember: "(Cabernet Franc's) herbal marker is so unique that when it goes missing, as it does in warmer sites, the wines can seem generic and sullen.Too much and the wine can be green and weedy." Santé!

Comments

[Stephen]

Hello Chris
Great to read about the Cab Franc, being a fan of the Loire where it finds its home. Thanks for posting.
But my pet peeve...the word varietal used as noun, when it's an adjective. It was created in the US to describe a bottle of wine from only one grape variety, and is now used for wines made mainly from one. Used correctly in the article though ("particularly in varietal bottlings from the Loire Valley").

Apologies for a slight bit of snobbery Chris. Now, you too will bristle every time you read used as a noun in place of "variety"!