Grape Variety Saga: Cabernet Franc

In France, a host of synonyms accompany Cabernet Franc in its chosen lands: Bouchy in Madiran, Bouchet in Saint-Émilion and Bergerac, Gros Cabernet, Carmenet, Grosse Vidure in the Médoc, Achéria in the Basque Country, etc.

Cabernet Franc is an old Bordeaux grape variety, whose cultivation spread to the Loire Valley, but whose date of introduction is controversial. The most widespread opinion is due to Count Odart. When the land of Richelieu was erected into a duchy-peerage, in 1631, Cardinal Richelieu, who was staying in Guyenne, had several thousand plants of the most esteemed vine in Bordeaux sent to his steward, Abbot Breton, who planted them in the region of Chinon and Bourgueil, the cardinal having inherited the property of the Abbey of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.

Cabernet Franc is recognizable by its young leaves, reddish green in color with bronze spots. The bunches are medium-sized, cylindro-conical, more or less compact, sometimes winged, offering small to medium-sized, spherical berries with fine, beautiful bluish-black skin.

This grape variety produces pleasant wines, whose smoothness is a delight in the mouth. Less tannic and astringent than Cabernet Sauvignon, it is also more supple, and gives an impression of fullness when harvested at maturity. Depending on its aging, it offers a aging potential of several years. When used as the main grape variety or alone, it produces balanced wines with soft tannins and controlled acidity. Coming from clay-sand terroirs, Cabernet Franc produces a wine with aromas of tobacco, raspberry, blackcurrant and licorice violet. On other terroirs, it also develops notes of pepper.

Château la Soujeole in Malepère is the perfect setting for this grape variety which reveals it in a new and unique light for the Languedoc in the Château la Soujeole Grand Vin rouge wine. This grape variety is also one of the 7 grape varieties of Cigalus Rouge .