Cabernet franc

Synonyms: achéria (Basque Country) ardounet, bretona, bretona, bretón, basilisca, bouschy, verón, veronais, arenera, bordo, bouchet, bounchy, capbretón.

This red grape is widely grown in areas such as the Loire and Bordeaux and is widespread throughout the world. Recent studies place its origin in the Basque Country (Jancis Robinson, Wine Grapes, 2012). However, it was not here where it managed to develop and achieve its name, but in important producing regions such as Bordeaux, in which it is commonly used in blended wines, and Loire, more commonly found as a single varietal. In Spain, this variety is very scattered, with Castilla la Mancha, Catalonia and Valencia being the regions where the highest concentration of plants can be found.

It is an early budding, medium ripening red grape. It can adapt very well to different soils and climates, which helped it to spread all over the world, offering a wide range of styles. This variety is very close to cabernet sauvignon, but stylistically there are differences between them, being cabernet franc more subtle, both in alcohol, tannins, and structure.

Its growth cycle differs from Cabernet and Merlot. This is one of the reasons why its expansion in Bordeaux was so exponential, as it served to diversify the grapes and ultimately the percentages of the blends according to the type of climatic year, sometimes more favourable to cabernet and merlot, or to cabernet franc. These diverse cycles allow them to find a balance in years with different climatic tendencies. Aromatically, cabernet franc offers herbal nuances, fresher and more subtle than cabernet sauvignon. Its tannin is softer and silkier, and its palate is slightly more subtle.