Grape variety saga: cabernet franc

In France, a host of synonyms accompanies Cabernet Franc in its favoured territories: 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, though the date of its introduction is disputed. The most widespread opinion is attributed to Comte Odart. When the land of Richelieu was elevated to 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, the Abbé Breton, who planted them in the region of Chinon and Bourgueil, the cardinal having inherited the assets of the Abbey of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. 

Cabernet Franc is recognisable by its young leaves, which have a reddish-green hue with bronze patches. The bunches are medium-sized, cylindrical-conical, more or less compact, sometimes winged, bearing small to medium-sized, spherical berries with thin, deep bluish-black skin.

This grape variety produces pleasant wines whose smoothness is a delight on the palate. 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 ageing, it offers a cellaring potential of several years. When used as the primary or sole grape variety, it produces well-balanced wines with soft tannins and controlled acidity. From clay-sandy soils, Cabernet Franc yields a wine with aromas of tobacco, raspberry, blackcurrant and liquorice-tinged violet. On other terroirs, it also develops notes of green 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 wine Château la Soujeole Grand Vin red. This grape variety is also one of the 7 grape varieties in the Cigalus Rouge.