Southern Hemisphere

Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina: Aromatic, Vibrant, Textured

The 2025 growing season began with a spring that was milder than average leading buds to burst around the third week of September. While frost is common in many high-altitude parts of the Uco Valley, no significant frost events occurred for Cabernet Franc in the Zuccardi family's parcels in San Pablo and Gualtallary, resulting in an outlook of promising yields at the start of the growing season. Conditions in late spring remained favourable for bloom and fruit set. The peak summer conditions were warmer than average, with low rainfall — “classic Mendoza summertime” according to Martín Di Stefano, vineyard manager at Zuccardi. The region experienced a dramatic cool-down in the final weeks of the growing season, beginning in March and continuing through April. This cool-down coupled with periodic showers was particularly beneficial for the reds, creating “slow ripening conditions with a long hang-time,” according to Di Stefano. Zuccardi harvested the Cabernet Franc in Gualtallary between March 21st and 29th and from San Pablo on April 2nd and 3rd. Yields were above average and winemaker Laura Principiano describes the quality of their Cabernet Francs as “very good” with “great aromatic complexity, very good quality tannins, texture and vibrancy.”

Peumo, Cachapoal, Central Valley, Chile: Transparency and Tension

The 2025 growing season was blessed with a winter that was wetter than average, with Viña La Rosa recording 654mm of rain at their vineyards in Peumo during the season, setting up good ground reserves for the vintage ahead. The spring was warmer than average with budbreak arriving a week ahead of schedule, and these favourable conditions continued through flowering and fruit set leading to “well-formed, evenly composed clusters,” according to Gonzalo Cárcamo, head of enology at Viña La Rosa. Summer conditions in Peumo and across the Cachapoal Valley were hot, dry, and warmer than average, though winter reserves meant that Viña La Rosa didn’t need to start precision deficit irrigation until November, “allowing natural soil dynamics to drive early-season development.” The warm and dry conditions accelerated the season by about 7 to 10 days, and the estate began to pick their Cabernet Franc from its Cornellana Vineyard on March 4th, and quality was “excellent” according to Cárcamo, adding there was “no berry shrivel or heat stress symptoms visible in the fruit.” Across Chile, yields were down in 2025; however Viña La Rosa’s Cabernet Franc yields were on target for the estate at 6 tons/hectare. While still early, the Cornellana Cabernet Franc is showing great “linearity and transparency” with “a chalk-like tannin texture and a graphite-like character in the finished wine,” according to Cárcamo.

Atlántida, Canalones, Uruguay: Refined, Fresh, Approachable

The winter in the coastal sub-zone of Atlántida was mild, with adequate rainfall helping to replenish ground reserves going into the growing season. Spring was mild with intermittent rains leading to an early budbreak, followed by variable weather through flowering and fruit set, though no adverse effects from these conditions were observed in the Cabernet Franc parcel at Bracco Bosca Winery, according to Fabiana Bracco. The summertime conditions were warm, though never hot, and following véraison Bracco observed “a mix of sunshine and occasional rainfall, which slowed down sugar accumulation at times but helped preserve acidity.” The vintage concluded on a positive note with good conditions during the harvest of the estate’s Cabernet Franc. Bracco noted that the estate’s 2025 Cabernet Franc is all about “freshness and finesse,” adding the wine is “highly expressive with moderate structure, refined tannins and an elegant and approachable profile.”

Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa: Structured and Cellar-Worthy

The 2025 vintage benefited from a winter that was colder and wetter than average across Stellenbosch, with both Bruwer Raats of Raats Family Wines in the Polkadraai Hills and Anton Malan of Rainbow’s End in the Banghoek Valley observing higher-than-average rainfall in the winter replenishing water reserves following a warm end to the 2024 vintage. The cooler conditions continued into the spring, delaying budbreak to mid-September for Cabernet Franc, about a week later than usual. There was gradual warming through late spring and into summer. The summer was warm and dry, with no heat spikes or heatwaves, and the nighttime temperatures were cooler than average, slowing down ripening. A cool-down in February and into early March delayed harvest for many with both Raats Family Wines and Rainbow’s End reporting to have harvested a week to 10 days later than average. The extended hang-time was welcomed, with Raats noting “excellent phenolic maturity” at the time of harvest. Malan remarked, “Since our first Cabernet Franc at Rainbow’s End in 2005 I think 2025 is the best vintage I’ve ever experienced.” Rainbow’s End’s 2025 Cabernet Francs are marked by “excellent fruit expression. Intense as well as elegant with good Cabernet Franc varietal character.” Raats noted that the estate’s 2025s show “very good concentration, supple tannins, balanced acidities, with quality similar to classic vintages like 2021, 2017 and 2015.”

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North America

Napa Valley, California, USA: Expressive and Focused

The region was blessed with a winter that was wetter than average in 2024/2025, which meant that Napa Valley’s 2025 growing season started with very good rainfall reserves after many years of drought conditions. Budbreak occurred in March without issue, and the season progressed through flowering and fruit set under ideal conditions. By June, the 2025 season began to resemble the 2023 and 2021 vintages, according to John Skupny of Lang & Reed, where the impacts of climate change are presenting “something of a half standard” with “a sustained drawing in of coastal fog into the Napa Valley in the mornings for the duration of the growing season,” creating a cooler start to the day and more moderate conditions overall. Skupny observed no temperatures in excess of 37C (100F) in the Cabernet Franc parcels at the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in southeastern Napa Valley, and only five days above 37C (100F) at the Ryan Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District, with temperatures averaging in the high 20s C (80s F). Lang & Reed harvested the estate’s Cabernet Franc from both sites on October 9th under ideal conditions. Skupny remarked that the estate’s 2025 Cabernet Francs have a “vibrant colour and good density” with an aromatic profile that is “expressive, floral and herbaceous” and an overall profile that is “svelte” from Sugarloaf Mountain and “nervy” from Ryan Vineyard.

Livermore Valley, California, USA: Fruit, Freshness, Benchmark

The 2025 vintage showed similarities to other recent odd-numbered vintages like 2023 and 2021, according to Steven Mirassou of Steven Kent Winery, which were marked by very low rainfall. The spring began without incident, with budbreak occurring for Cabernet Franc in mid-May, followed by favourable, moderate conditions into June and July. Conditions were warm, but never excessively hot, with only two days registered above 37C (100F) during the entire growing season. Post-véraison conditions were ideal, characterized by warm, sunny days with strong afternoon winds stopped the physiological development of the vine during the warmest part of the day, slowing down ripening and lengthening the growing season. Mirassou and his team harvested their Cabernet Franc for their Cabernet Franc Blanc on September 16th and concluded with their Ghielmetti Vineyard for reds on October 31st, nearly two weeks later than in 2024, with potential alcohols around 13.2 - 13.9% for the reds. “2023 was one of the finest vintages in the 30 years I have been making wine in Livermore for Cab Franc. 2025 is very nearly its equal,” Mirassou remarked, adding the wines show “the hallmark Livermore structure of balanced ripeness on entry, with emphasis on fruit, mid-palate grip, chalky tannins, and abundant acidity.”

Walla Walla Valley, Washington, USA: Balanced and Varietally Expressive

The 2024/2025 winter season in Walla Walla was milder than average with no extreme cold events that may have adversely affected the vines. The spring season was mild and a late March warm spell pushed the Cabernet Franc buds open at Echolands Winery about 7 to 10 days ahead of normal, but conditions remained favourable through April and May with no frost events that may have impacted yield. The warm and dry spring conditions continued with a heat spike in late-May/early June that caused shatter, lowering yields for some varieties, but owner Doug Frost noted, “Cabernet Franc’s early budding status put it ahead of most other varieties and we enjoyed very uniform set and later berry size uniformity.” Conditions through the duration of the growing season leading up to harvest were “excellent,” according to Frost with “warm days, cool nights, which lead to good fruit development” and no heat spikes. Harvest began about 2 weeks early for Cabernet Franc, picking for rosé from the Blue Mountain Vineyard on September 9th continuing with reds starting around the 18th under ideal conditions. Frost remarked that Brix accumulation often outpaces phenolic ripeness, but in 2025 “things lined up nicely” with “phenolics ripening early,” adding that their decision to pick early was “rewarded with very balanced acids, low-ish Brix, and lovely ripe flavours.” Though yields were down slightly for Cabernet Franc at the end of the season, quality looks very good — “balanced and beautiful,” according to Frost — with alcohols 13 - 13.4% hitting “the sweet spot where red and blue fruits and perfume are the core impression with accents of noble pyrazines.”

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA: Vibrant and Composed

A warm spring meant an early start to the 2025 growing season in the northern Willamette Valley, according Bree Stock, owner and winemaker at Limited Addition Wines. Budbreak for the estate’s Cabernet Franc was in early April, which was followed by favourable conditions through flowering and fruit set into May and June. Unlike some other recent vintages, 2025 saw favourable, even conditions for the entirety of the growing season, with no heat spikes, wind events, or prolonged cold conditions, though the season was a little drier than average. These ideal conditions meant the head start the vines got at the beginning of the season was maintained and the Cabernet Franc harvest began on October 10th, about two and a half weeks earlier than average. Stock noted that yields were a little larger than average, “but ideal conditions without heat extremes ensured full flavour ripening and low levels of pyrazines.” When asked about the finished wines, Stock remarked, “exceptional on every level” with “good flavor development, ripe tannin and phenolic resolution.” The ripe tannin profile, coupled with bright but slightly softer acidities, has given Cabernet Francs that “feel incredibly drinkable, vibrant, and composed at a young age,” according to Stock.

Virginia, USA: Aromatic, Savoury, Elegant

After a cooler-than-average winter, a mild spring meant budbreak arrived across much of Virginia in early April, about 10 days ahead of schedule. The early budbreak left vines vulnerable to frost events that occurred on April 9th and 16th, though higher elevation areas (above 700ft/213m) and mature Cabernet Franc vines were largely unaffected. Wetter conditions arrived in late May and into June, which impacted flowering and fruit set, though this impact varied widely across the state. Winemaker Maya Hood Johnson of Early Mountain in Madison County noted the estate’s Quaker Run Cabernet Franc experienced a lighter fruit set, while Robbie Corpora, who manages the Cabernet Franc parcels at Ramiiisol Vineyards and his own estate, Podere Piccolo, in the Monticello AVA observed normal vine and cluster development during this early period of the season. During the critical last several weeks before harvest, conditions became much drier and warmer allowing very good fruit ripening and phenolic development during the home stretch. Cabernet Franc harvest for Ramiiisol in Monticello was between August 29th and September 3rd, while Early Mountain picked their Cabernet Franc between September 22nd and 24th1. When asked about their early impressions of the 2025 vintage for their Cabernet Francs, Corpora remarked his wines display “lighter body, with a high aromatic intensity, with red fruit that highlights the savoury herbaceous side of Cabernet Franc,” and Johnson noted their 2025 Cabernet Francs “show the quintessential Quaker Run attributes shining through, with slightly more red fruit characteristics and elegant tannins… There is an elegance to them that showcases the dynamics of the vintage perfectly.”

Long Island, New York, USA: Concentration and Character

The 2025 growing season on the North Fork of Long Island started off calmly with a mild winter and spring conditions that were on track with historical averages for rainfall and temperatures. Budbreak came at the end of April, followed by more overcast and wet conditions in May. Despite these conditions, Marin Brennan, winemaker at Bedell Cellars, noted that Cabernet Franc fared well through flowering and fruit set, which set up the vines with good crop levels going into the summer season. July, August and September were mostly warm, with cool nights and rainfall levels below 50mm per month, providing ideal conditions for fruit ripening and flavour development. Just ahead of the harvest of their Cabernet Franc, a nor’easter came through the region bringing rain and strong winds, but Brennan noted their Cabernet Franc “dried quickly afterwards, and the fruit remained clean, healthy, and of exceptional quality,” and all of their parcels were harvested for reds between the 15th and 17th of October. The 2025 vintage is looking to be “exceptional,” according to Brennan, with their reds achieving great depth and balance, noting that “what stands out most is the combination of concentration and freshness.” Brennen added that the wines “already display tremendous character and promise. I believe 2025 will be remembered as one of the standout vintages on the North Fork.”

Finger Lakes, New York, USA: Ample with Balanced Earthiness

Fortunately, the winter of 2024/2025 was kind to Finger Lakes grape growers with milder-than-average temperatures and no extreme cold events that could impact vine health. The spring began with milder temperatures through March and April, with budbreak at the end of April, a bit ahead of schedule. The spring through early June was wetter than average, which meant grape growers needed to be vigilant with sprays to guard against mildew pressure early on, though Dillon Buckley, winemaker at Hermann J. Wiemer, remarked, “It was nothing that Cabernet Franc can’t handle.” From mid-June the vintage turned around completely, with warm weather and very dry conditions that continued through July and August and into September, with some drought stress observed by véraison in early August. Buckley added, “We saw a generally slightly smaller crop across all the Cabernet Franc blocks. However, those blocks tend to be in our sites that saw better rainfall and have better water-holding capacity in the soils.” Conditions in September leading up to harvest were ideal, promoting excellent ripening during the critical final stretch of the season. Cabernet Franc harvest at Hermann J. Wiemer began in earnest on October 15th, concluding October 24th. On the heels of excellent Cabernet Franc vintages in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the 2025 vintage is showing great promise. “The wines in tank and barrel are really exciting,” remarked Buckley, adding their Cabernet Francs show “ample structure, good balance between fruit and herbaceous notes, and are carrying their ripeness well.”

Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada: Confident, Pleasurable, Humble

After a relatively mild winter by Ontario standards, the spring season began with a warmer-than-average March and April, which led to the Cabernet Franc vines at Vineland Estates’ Bo-Teek Vineyard to bud out on May 5th, a few weeks earlier than usual. The early budbreak led to many restless nights, as conditions in May were significantly cooler, though thankfully never dipping below 0C. Conditions improved through June, with July and August being warmer and drier than average. By August 12th, véraison kicked off more or less on target for Cabernet Franc, according to winemaker Brian Schmidt. Weather conditions in September can always be unpredictable, but in 2025 the final weeks leading up to harvest were ideal for late-season reds with mild, sunny days, cooler nights, and no major rain events. The team at Vineland began harvesting Cabernet Franc on October 13th, concluding on October 30th under mainly blue skies and favourable conditions. When asked about his impressions of the 2025 vintage for Cabernet Franc, Schmidt remarked that it was “aspirationally perfect,” adding that it was a vintage where “experience met craft.” The Vineland Estates Cabernet Francs are “confident and pleasurable,” according to Schmidt, displaying “delightful aromatics, mature, supple tannins, and concentration that carries the 13.5% alcohol well.” He adds that the 2025 ‘General List’2 Cabernet Franc is “the best we’ve ever made in my 35 vintages at Vineland.”

Europe

Villány, Pannon, Hungary: Definition, Freshness, Site-Expressive

The 2025 vintage for Hungary’s premier region for Cabernet Franc was more “measured and classical,” according to Susann Hanauer, of Wassmann Winery in Siklós. The winter season was mild and dry, followed by a spring that saw moderate rainfall helping to restore some groundwater reserves. Budbreak came in early April, followed by variable conditions through early spring and into May, with cooler conditions experienced during flowering, which beneficially reduced yields. The summer and peak growing season saw ideal conditions for physiological development: warm days, but no heatwaves, low but well-timed rainfall and plenty of sunshine. September conditions were ideal leading up to a mid-September harvest with warm days and cool nights marking a gradual, moderate close to the season, helping to “preserve freshness and definition,” according to Hanauer. “Elegance, clarity and balance” are what define the 2025 Cabernet Franc from Wassmann Winery with “good aromatics, fresh acidity and refined tannins.” In Villány terms, Hanauer adds, this “looks less like a blockbuster vintage and more like a harmonious, site-expressive one.”

Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy: Elegance and Precision

The 2025 growing season in Bolgheri began a little cooler than average through late winter and into March, which delayed budbreak in some parts of the region. The spring conditions overall were favourable, with a gradual warming of temperatures into the summer season, and flowering and fruit set “took place under good conditions, without major weather disturbances” according to Nicolò Carrara, winemaker at Tenuta Argentiera, resulting in “healthy and balanced bunch development with moderate and homogeneous yields across the vineyards.” Summer conditions were favourable, with warm but not excessive temperatures, dry conditions punctuated by the odd beneficial shower, and long sunshine hours. Elia Campolmi, second generation at Le Macchiole, noted that in warm vintages like 2025, “canopy management was crucial to preserve the future quality.” Conditions remained favourable through harvest, with Le Macchiole harvesting their Cabernet Franc during the last two weeks of September. Early impressions of the 2025 Cabernet Francs from two of Bolgheri’s leading estates are very positive with Campolmi noting they achieved the “freshness and elegance that have always been the hallmark of our wines… with a solid tannic backbone and structure characteristic of the vintage.” At Argentiera, Carrara observed that their Cabernet Francs as showing “remarkable finesse and precision, with fresh aromatic profiles, refined tannins and excellent balance.”

Alta Maremma, Tuscany, Italy: Delicacy and Finesse

The winter of 2024/2025 brought mild conditions with regular rainfall that helped to boost water reserves in the soils going into the spring and summer. Spring was characterized by cooler conditions, though budbreak for the Cabernet Franc at Ampeleia was in line with their historical average, taking place at the end of March. The spring saw a gradual warming of temperatures and drier conditions, with flowering and fruit set taking place under favourable conditions. Marco Tait, winemaker at Ampeleia, remarked that while it was warm, “temperatures were not excessively high, and cool nights helped maintain vine balance.” August began with a significant hailstorm on the 3rd, which “resulted in an estimated 20% loss of clusters,” according to Tait. While August remained warm and dry, conditions became less favourable into September in the final weeks leading up to harvest with cooler temperatures and regular rainfall. Ampeleia picked their Cabernet Franc during the last 10 days of September, and Tait noted that “weather conditions during harvest allowed for the picking of healthy fruit… with sugar levels and acidity within a normal range.” Stylistically, Tait remarked that while Ampeleia’s 2025 Cabernet Francs don’t have the structure and body seen in warmer years “the wines do display notable elegance, finesse, and a refined, gentle character.”

Bordeaux, France: Finely Structured, Concentration, Ageability

One of the effects of climate change that is widely observed in regions around the world is that of extreme variation in climatic conditions from year to year. The 2025 vintage in Bordeaux couldn’t be more different from that of 2024, marked by extreme heat and drought during the summer season. The spring conditions were mild with average rainfall, which brought on an earlier-than-normal budbreak. A gradual warming through April and May brought ideal warm, sunny conditions at flowering at the end of May, though a small crop already predetermined for much of the region due to the less-than-favourable conditions during inflorescence in 2024.

June brought with it complicated conditions of higher rainfalls earlier in the month followed by extreme heat, peaking between June 17th and June 22nd, which prompted mildew concerns. David Stannard, based in Cardan (Entre-Deux-Mers) at Paradise Rescued, remarked, “In 2025, it was still a tough year from the point of view of mildew again — probably not as impactful as 2023 or ‘24, but still pretty serious.” Vigilant vineyard and canopy management was necessary to protect against mildew pressure, but also protect clusters from excessive heat and sunshine. Louis Gadais, technical director at Château Jean Faure, noted that “Cabernet Franc showed particular vigour this year, leading the way in terms of vegetative growth. Vineyard management prioritized vertical canopy positioning and limited trimming, thereby fostering shade and protecting the berries from excessive light and heat.”

The persistent warm temperatures and dry conditions continued through July and into August, including a further heatwave in early August, when temperatures exceeded 30C for several days. A peak of 41.3C was recorded at Château Jean Faure on August 11th, breaking the record set in 2022. Conditions remained dry until late August, with some generous rain experienced on the 20th and 30th, providing the right amount of refreshment and beneficial dilution. Harvest was early and condensed across much of Bordeaux. At Jean Faure, they harvested their Cabernet Franc between September 15th and 18th under ideal conditions, and Paradise Rescued harvested their Cabernet Franc on September 20th.

Yields were very low, as anticipated, though quality was high with Jean Faure’s Gadais noting the fruit “yielded juice of great aromatic purity and excellent balance, combined with impressive concentration.” Stannard described his Cabernet Franc as “rich and full-bodied still with a fruit-forward freshness. You can still pick that natural balance that comes with a Cabernet Franc between acidity and fruit.” At Jean Faure, their Cabernet Franc displays “remarkable balance” with a final alcohol of 13.5% and “lovely freshness, a fine tannic structure, and distinct aging potential.”

Loire Valley, France: Fresh, Generous, Harmonious

After a very wet 2024 vintage, the winter of 2024/2025 also saw more precipitation than average, though it was slightly cooler than most winters. Early spring was cool and wet, thus delaying budbreak — never a bad thing as spring weather has proven to be quite unpredictable in recent years. Following budbreak in early April, conditions were ideal through May during flowering and fruit set, though the vintage was predestined to have lower yields because of widespread low inflorescence due to the persistent cool and wet conditions during June and July 2024.

By late May and into early June, summer was in full swing with warmer-than-average temperatures and lower rainfall. An early-summer heatwave experienced in the third week of June saw temperatures climb above 40C for a few days, eventually returning to more “normal” temperatures though still warmer than the historical average.

July and August remained warm and dry, prompting concerns of drought stress in some vineyards, though thanks to the plentiful groundwater reserves, very few vignerons remarked as observing any drought stress in their parcels. Véraison kicked off in late July, and the first three weeks of August remained very warm and dry, though overnight temperatures were cool, helping to slow down ripening. Rainfall during the summertime was lower than average, but some well-timed showers in July followed by a generous rainfall on August 29th gave the vines exactly the right amount of moisture to reach excellent phenolic maturity leading up to harvest.

A few early September showers prompted vignerons to be extremely vigilant with harvest dates as the showers served to concentrate sugars while diluting acidity depending on the parcels. Many vignerons began harvesting their Cabernet Franc for reds between September 15th to 17th, concluding by about the 25th of September, and conditions during harvest were idyllic — a fitting close to what had been a near-flawless growing season.

The 2025 vintage for Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley is marked by lower-than-average yields as a result of the low inflorescence in 2024 and the dry conditions during the summer that resulted in smaller berries and low bunch weights. Yields were down 20-25%, with yields ranging from 25 to 40 hl/ha. Despite low yields, quality was excellent and very homogeneous. Alcohols were moderate, ranging from 12.5% to 13.5%, with softer acidities, moderate pH levels, ripe tannins and very good concentration.

Chinon: The 2025 vintage across Chinon looks to be very homogeneous, with very good to excellent quality from vineyards on the alluvial terrace and the slopes. In contrast to 2022, another warm and dry vintage, vignerons noted less drought stress on the sandy-gravelly soils in 2025. “I believe it is an excellent vintage, though one defined by elegance and finesse rather than power,” remarked Matthieu Baudry of Domaine Bernard Baudry in Cravant-les-Côteaux, adding “in a dry vintage like this, maintaining the vitality of the foliage was crucial — something we achieved through regular vineyard maintenance and soil cultivation.” When asked about his impressions of the wines in June 2026, Baudry remarked, “I am struck by the balance between sugar and acidity; they seem to complement each other perfectly, set against a backdrop of generous fruit.”

Bourgueil/St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil: While it would seem counterintuitive to have significant rainfall in the last two weeks before harvest (60mm observed at Domaine Yannick Amirault), Benoît Amirault remarked that this rainfall “shaped significantly the vintage’s profile — shifting it from what promised to be extreme to something balanced.” The wines themselves show “silky, harmonious texture with no heaviness or sense of excessive ripeness… with varietal notes that are relatively pronounced for an early, sun-drenched vintage.” Amirault also noted great consistency across terroirs on the slopes as well as the alluvial terrace — a common theme across the region.

Saumur-Champigny/Saumur: While Chinon, Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil have large swaths of alluvial terroirs, Saumur-Champigny and large parts of the greater Saumur region are dominated by clay-limestone terroirs that are prized for the moisture-retention capacity, which is particularly beneficial in vintages like 2025. While the initial quality is excellent, some vignerons have noted that a longer, more patient élevage will be necessary for the wines from these terroirs to show their true colours. “Wines from clay soils exhibit very firm tannins on the finish — a characteristic that must be tamed during aging,” noted Arnaud Lambert, of Domaine Arnaud Lambert, adding “I believe this 2025 vintage will be highly concentrated and quite powerful, yet it retains that underlying limestone structure that lengthens the palate. It is certainly a wine built for aging.”

Anjou: In western Anjou, where the schist terroirs take over from the limestone soils of Saumur and Touraine, vintages like 2025, while exceptional, present their own complications due to the drought stress that can be amplified on these types of soils. Quentin Cailleau of Domaine Sauveroy noted that the “lack of water severely limited berry expansion, resulting in particularly small berries. Yields were around 25 hl/ha in 2025.” Despite the low yields, and while it is still early, Cailleau observed, “the potential looks very promising… The wines currently display a rich, sun-kissed profile, with impressive depth and aromas of ripe fruit. Despite this ripeness, they retain a certain freshness thanks to being harvested at the optimal time. The result is a set of intense, deep wines with excellent substance.”

A note from my own tastings: During tastings of some tank samples earlier in the year as well as several finished “early-drinking” wines that are already being sold in the market, I am in love with what I’ve tasted from the 2025 vintage thus far. Many of the wines I’ve tried display generous and plush fruit that doesn’t feel overripe or heavy, with softer aromatics at this stage, though still exhibiting the pyrazines that I’ve come to note in warmer, drier vintages (bay leaf, garrigue, mint). Acidities are soft but fresh, and the tannins are quite stunning — remarkably fine, velour-like with density and ripeness. While I think there are those who will find the wines from 20243 a little challenging and not to their palate, there is an undeniable likability to the 2025 Cabernet Francs from the Loire that will delight both those who’ve been drinking the wines from the region for ages and those who discover the wines for the first time.

Closing Thoughts

While it is impossible to make a blanket statement to describe the 2025 vintage the world over for Cabernet Franc, I believe there much to look forward from the quality-minded, passionate Cabernet Franc producers mentioned here and beyond. Vintage is one of countless things that tell the story of a bottle of wine, but it is a moment in time that helps us appreciate what we taste in the glass and pause to reflect on the year that was in our own lives. Every vintage has something to give, something to teach us.

My deepest heartfelt thanks to all the producers who contributed their insights for this report. I hope readers find their experiences as interesting and meaningful as I do.

Thank you for reading and for your support. This report was a labour of love that took a lot of time and effort to compile. Your feedback is welcomed and encouraged. Comment below, send me a message, or email me your thoughts.

The extreme heat and drought stopped the physiological development of the vines for a period of time, blocking véraison from kicking off, which has only just started in recent days in most communes and appellations. All of the early progress observed at the beginning of June has since evaporated and the vintage now is looking more on track with 2025, with harvest for reds likely beginning mid-September, though there is still a long way to go before that is certain. Vignerons are desperately praying for a bit of rain just to give the vines a bit of relief. While July 2025 saw periodic showers, the lack of rain in the last two months means that the berry size in most parcels is very small, so yields will likely be lower than the already low yields experienced in 2025.

Looking ahead, the forecast seems to change every few hours, but it appears the warm and dry conditions should continue to persist into early August at least, with no rain the forecast, though temperatures looking more “normal” for summer. A good summer for beachgoers, less so for farmers.

Now, with the month’s weather report out of the way, let’s get into some of my tasting highlights from this past month. And suffice it to say, I’ve been staying well-hydrated!

When I’m in the Loire for an extended period of time, I don’t usually have a set plan as to the vignerons I intend to visit. It is often that I’ve tasted a particular wine in passing which prompts me to want to visit a domaine, or in some cases, it is the vigneron(ne) that reaches out to invite me to the domaine. Either way, these domaine’s will receive a feature article at some point in the coming months, so this serves as a little preview.

Anjou-Saumur

Calvez-Bobinet (Saumur-Champigny): Despite seeing these wines seemingly everywhere in the market, I had not yet paid a visit to Dampierre-sur-Loire’s Calvez-Bobinet. Admittedly, the day I was at the domaine was to actually catch-up with up-and-coming garagiste vigneron Pascal Carole, but it turned into an informal introduction to the wines of Émeline Calvez and Sébastien Bobinet. I didn’t have my tablet with me to record notes, so a follow-up visit will come in August before harvest gets underway.

Château du Bourg Joly (Anjou): Technically located in Anjou, this estate is actually a stone’s throw from Le Puy-Notre-Dame with a terroir that is more similar with that of Saumur than what we typically think of when we think of Anjou. The proprietors are Uzbekistan-native Inessa Grouvel Varchavskaia and her husband Menno Grouvel, both retired geologists whose passion for geology, ecology and wine brought them to the Loire. Vigneronne Inessa farms a 0.7-ha parcel of Cabernet Franc vines planted on a butte of Cenomanian marl from which she makes a rosé and two reds, all three of which have a beautiful through-line of perfume and texture.

Domaine de l’Ours Bleu (Saumur/Saumur-Champigny): I visited this domaine last summer, but the Directeur d’Exploitation Jérôme Baillargeau was on holiday, so I was eager to get back to this estate to revisit some of the wines with a bit more technical detail. With parcels in Montsoreau, Fontevraud, and St-Cyr-en-Bourg, the estate is focusing on single-vineyard wines that see long élevage in bottle (3 to 4 years) before release, a decision that reflects owner Julien Contant’s love of older Cabernet Franc. Each of the single vineyard expressions feels very true to the place with impressive purity, depth and concentration. Their blanc de noir is also another gem in this style I’ve come across from the Loire.

Domaine des Sables Verts (Saumur-Champigny): I first visited Domaine des Sables Verts in October 2024, and have had the pleasure of enjoying the wines of this estate both here in the Loire and at home. Young proprietors Caroline Meurée et Hervé Malinge are working carefully and intentionally across their 10 hectares to craft beautiful range of Cabernet Francs. I was very impressed by their range from the challenging 2024 vintage, which are expressive and richly aromatic. A rising star domaine in Saumur-Champigny.

Touraine

Domaine Béatrice et Pascal Lambert (Chinon): I first visited this domaine in May of 2022, and while I’ve tasted the wines since then at annual trade salons, it is a crime that I haven’t been back to visit the domaine in four years. I had a terrific tasting with Commercial Director Éric Taunay focusing on their cuvées parcellaires, which are essential tasting for anyone interested in exploring the various soil expressions from across the Chinon appellation. I find the wines to be beautifully transparent of their terroirs and highlight the diversity and potential of the Chinon appellation.

Domaine Beauséjour (Chinon): Situated in Panzoult, this jewel of a domaine was purchased by Domaine Bélargus’s Ivan Massonnat in 2022. When I first visited in the spring of 2024, there was still much to be decided about the direction of the domaine and how their inaugural 2023 vintage was going to be blended, bottled and presented to the market. But one thing was certain, Ivan’s vision was lofty and long term. On my recent visit, I was excited to see the direction the domaine has gone in, deciding on a range of five wines from across their 20 hectares of vines, four of which are slated for release in early 2027, with the estate’s flagship, the Cuvée Beauséjour, to be released in 2028. If Ivan’s work at Belargus is an indication, there is lots to look forward to here.

Domaines Baudry-Dutour (Chinon/Bourgueil): With six domaines under the Baudry-Dutour umbrella and a strong distribution presence in France and abroad, I have been meaning to pay this estate a visit for quite sometime. Jean-Martin Dutour, former president of the Syndicate of the Vignerons of Chinon, is a fount of knowledge, particular on the business side of making and selling Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, so it was a pleasure to spend some time with him going through the wines and “talk shop” so to speak about the state of the industry. The back vintages of Château de la Grille we tasted were a cherry on top of the sundae!

Teyras de Grandval (Chinon): I have long been a fan of the wines of Domaine des Closiers since my first tasting with proprietor Anatole de la Brosse in February 2023. When I learned that he was doubling-down on his investment in the world of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc with the purchase of Domaine Jaulin Plaisantin in Cravant-les-Côteaux, I could barely contain my excitement. The new domaine, Teyras de Grandval, features 12 hectares of organically farmed vines and a newly constructed chai, which was finished completion in spring of 2026. The wines feature the same degree of rigour and precision as Anatole’s range from Saumur-Champigny, with an undeniable Chinon signature.

Famille Cognard Vignerons (St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil/Bourgueil): I’ve tasted the wines from this domaine before at the annual trade salons and at the Maison des Vins de Bourgueil, but had not had the opportunity to visit. I’m delighted to have finally made the effort because there is so much to love about the wines that Estelle and her team are crafting. And as a lover of older Loire Cabernet Franc, I was thrilled to see that the estate makes available to purchase wide selection of library wines from select vintages dating back to the 1970s making it a must-visit for anyone who may have a special occasion deserving of a magnum of 1982 St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil.

Finally, just days before the catastrophic wildfires began to take over the western Gironde region, I had planned a visit to Paradise Rescued, a tiny domaine in the hamlet of Cardan about 30km southeast of Bordeaux. Cabernet Franc is central to this 1-ha domaine’s identity, representing about 2/3 of the estate’s plantings. I first visited in 2023, and I think that proprietor David Stannard and his team have really started to hit their stride since their first vintage in 2010. More on David’s journey and this estate is a feature article in the coming months.

Apart from my visits with vignerons, here are some other wines I’ve enjoyed in recent weeks.

Château du Petit Thouars, 2023 Chinon “Les Georges” (13.0% abv., SRP $27.00USD/12EUR): Pure, fragrant and not shy on the classic Cabernet Franc varietal character, with plenty of dark forest berry fruits, cedar and spruce undertones with a handful of fresh thyme and dried mint. Delightfully savoury and expressive in the glass. The palate is vibrant with mouth-watering acidity with added notes of black peppercorn and graphite to complement a blackcurrant juice fruit-forward core. The velvety tannins finish firm and taut, giving this wine some good structure for those that wish to cellar it for the medium term. Fresh, balanced, deliciously spicy through the finish, this wine overdelivers on complexity and character. Probably my favourite cuvée of the estate’s range.

Domaine de la Chance, 2023 “Midi-Minuit” Pétillant Naturel (VDF, 12% abv., 18EUR): A blanc de noir of Cabernet Franc with 30 months on lees. Delightfully perfumed leading with floral undertones of white lilac and jasmine, supported by notes of white currant, white raspberry and wild strawberry. Fresh and inviting, with a delicate autolytic character of arrowroot cookie and a touch of blanched almond. The palate is lively, with a fine, creamy mousse and additional notes of candied ginger, fennel frond and a touch of acacia honey. Vinous, very pretty, layered and gastronomic, making it something I’d love to enjoy alongside a refined, sashimi-forward omakase dinner.

Arnaud Lambert, 2021 Saumur “Tue-Loup” (13.5% abv., SRP $35USD/24EUR): From a single parcel in Brézé, "Tue-Loup” in a step up from the cuvée Mazurique in the range from the estate and sees a bit of aging in older barrels. The 2021 is showing beautifully at the moment with blue and dark fruited undertones (wild blueberry, mulberry), with foresty depth, twiggy herbs, cured black olive, rose perfume and a melange of exotic spices (cardamon, star anise). The depth and demure presence on the nose carries forward on the palate with crisp, persistent acidity, linen-like tannins that weave a fine, elegant structure around a sweetly fruited, enveloping core. An understated, nuanced beauty. This is probably the cuvée from Arnaud Lambert I am least familiar with and this wine makes me want to revisit it more often.

Clotilde Legrand, 2011 Saumur-Champigny “Les Rogelins” (13.5% abv., SRP 35EUR): The top cuvée parcellaire from Clotilde Legrand is a parcel located just a few steps from the chai in Varrains and sees upwards of 4 years in oak barrels (1/3 new) followed by very long bottle aging - one of Clotilde’s non-negotiables. When I visited the domaine last summer, the 2011 vintage was her current release of this cuvée. Impressive depth of perfume, it is impossible to not be captivated by this wine’s aromatic profile. Red and dark fruits (blueberry, blackcurrant, sour cherry) that are leaning in a slightly dried space, with earthy undertones (tobacco, mint, rosemary, bay leaf), graphite, dried lavender, jasmine, star anise and black olive tapenade. The perfume carries forward on the palate, with cleansing acidity and impeccably fine, velvety tannins with plenty of concentration and plush fruit that makes the palate experience feel beautifully luxurious. Fresh and brimming with lots of life ahead of it, the wine is layered, contemplative and also deeply satisfying. Easily one of best wines I’ve tasted year to date.

Olga Raffault, 2024 Chinon Rosé (12.5% abv., SRP $22USD/10EUR): A summer isn’t complete without my Olga Raffault rosé! Sadly I missed out on the 2025, but I was able to snag the very last 6-pack of the 2024 from the domaine just a couple weeks ago. A extra year in the bottle and this wine hasn’t missed a beat. Fresh and floral with notes of Rainer cherry, white raspberry, jasmine, rosewater, cardamon and white pepper. Juicy with crisp acidity, beautifully refreshing with a hint of grapefruit pith bitterness on the finish. Elegant, classic, pure pleasure. A benchmark expression of Cabernet Franc rosé that is a joy to drink.

Domaine de la Lande, 2025 Bourgueil Rosé (12.5% abv., SRP 8EUR/bottle): When I first tasted this wine, I immediately thought that this was a wine I would love to have on tap at all times this summer. As if my prayers were answered, it turns out it was available in 5L bag-in-box from the domaine for 24EUR - my #roséallday summer is complete! Notes of delicate strawberries and cream, white peach, lilac and rose, pink peppercorn and a hint of chervil. Clean and refreshing, with soft but persistent acidity and a touch of creaminess in the mid-palate. Generous, fruity, with some balancing salinity through the finish. Perfect for apéro but equally as delicious with a seasonal veg-forward quiche, salade niçoise, tomato watermelon salad with feta, or grilled chicken. I’m already partway through my second BIB and August has only just begun!

The Estate

While the estate’s history can be traced back to 1568, its position among the ranks of St-Émilion’s top estates first came in the mid-1850s when it was mentioned alongside the likes of Château Figeac in early editions of the Féret’s guide to the wines of Bordeaux at the time. By the 1893 edition, Château Jean Faure had been elevated to premier cru status with the remark “this growth produces an exquisite wine, highly aromatic and of good keeping quality.”

The estate’s status was formalized with the 1955 classification of St-Émilion, which ranked Jean Faure as a Grand Cru Classé property - a position it held for three decades. With the in 1986 classification, when the estate was owned by Michel Amart with Michel Rolland was consulting oenologist, the estate was declassified, with mismanagement of the estate impacting quality as the reason cited for the demotion.

Despite its lowly status during the 1990s and early 2000s among hundreds of unranked properties in the St-Émilion appellation, Château Jean Faure caught the eye of Olivier Decelle, owner properties in Burgundy as well as cru bourgeois estate Château Haut-Maurac in the Médoc, who purchased Jean Faure in 2004 with the intention to return the estate to its former greatness.

Following years of investment from the Decelle family, Château Jean Faure was elevated once again to Grand Cru Classé status in the 2012 St-Émilion classification. That return to classified status encouraged the family to invest furthest in the estate bringing on Château Angélus’s Hubert de Boüard as consulting oenologist in 2013 (until 2017), beginning organic conversion in 2014 (certified in 2017) and later biodynamic conversion in 2020 (certified in 2023) and the completion of a new, modernized chai in early 2023.

Vineyard & Terroir

Directly east of Château la Dominique and 100m from Château Cheval Blanc, with Pomerol’s Château l’Evangile bordering to the north, Château Jean Faure’s vineyard lies on one contiguous plot of land of 18 hectares, 11 of which are planted with Cabernet Franc. The average vine age is around 45 years, with the oldest block planted in 1924.

Like some of the estate’s illustrious neighbours where Cabernet Franc plays an important role, Jean Faure benefits from being situated on a band of soils that sit on the higher terraces around the plateau of St-Émilion, which feature a subsoil of molasse de fronsadais, a deep iron-rich clay (crasse de fer) over a soft limestone bedrock. The topsoil in the Cabernet Franc parcels, which ranges in depth from around 20 to 80cm, is a mix of sandy-clay with some parcels having a varying mix of gravels.

What makes this soil particularly well suited for Cabernet Franc is it combines an ideal balance of free draining capabilities and water retention capacity. The lighter texture of the topsoil pulls surface moisture away, while the heavy clay subsoil holds onto moisture when conditions are drier, but it also helps to restrict Cabernet Franc’s natural vigorous tendencies. The result is naturally low yields (28hl/ha on average) with an ideal yield-canopy balance, which is essential for managing the pyrazines in Cabernet Franc.

Alongside the estate’s focus on organic and biodynamic viticulture, they also replant new Cabernet Franc parcels by selection massale using heritage vines, furthering their commitment the grape as central to Jean Faure’s identity and legacy.

Wines & Winemaking

Coinciding with the transition to organic viticulture, the winemaking team at Château Jean Faure began to lean into their Cabernet Franc heritage and identity with greater commitment and enthusiasm, making small adjustments in the cellar to highlight the grape’s best characteristics.

During a visit in 2023 with then-Estate Director Marie-Laure Latorre and Maitre de Chai Louis Gadais, Marie-Laure explained that even their decisions with Merlot seek to highlight Cabernet Franc noting “they seek maturities and extractions of Merlot such that the character of Cabernet Franc is dominant.”

This character that is central to Jean Faure’s work with Cabernet Franc and the wines themselves is two-fold: an aromatic perfume, particularly the floral side of Cabernet Franc, and a fine-grained, elegant tannin structure. The team achieves this in part by fermenting Cabernet Franc at slightly cooler temperatures in concrete (26C at peak fermentation), as well as by focusing extractions at beginning of the vinification during a longer cold soak (up to 10 days) and before the ferment reaches 21C. Additionally, the choice of vessels during élevage reflect the desire to preserve Cabernet Franc’s varietal and fruit character with a preference of foudres and second-fill oak barriques for Cabernet Franc, with a greater proportion of new oak reserved for Merlot.

Château Jean Faure’s Grand Vin, which accounts for around 80% of its annual production, is typically a blend of 60-65% Cabernet Franc, supported by 30-35% Merlot and usually 5% Malbec. Each individual parcel is vinified separately in concrete without sulphites, with gentle extractions but longer macerations of upwards of 4 weeks. Aging is for 12 to 14 months in a combination of new oak barriques (less than 35%), second-use barrels, large foudres and concrete.

The La Réserve, the estate’s second wine, was first introduced in 2019 and features a blend of 50/50 Cabernet Franc and Merlot that is vinified and aged in concrete, representing around 20% of the estate’s production in most vintages.

Favourable yields and excellent quality in the 2023 vintage allowed Château Jean Faure to reserve a dedicated parcel of old vines for their first (and to date only) 100% Cabernet Franc bottling while preserving the “balance, excellence and identity of the estate’s Grand Vin, where high-quality Cabernet Franc is essential,” noted Louis Gadais, who took over as the estate’s Technical Director in 2025. The approach in the cellar for this cuvée was intentionally minimalist, vinifying and aging the wine in 17hl concrete eggs with the goal of “revealing the character of Jean Faure’s Cabernet Franc and capturing the full purity of the fruit,” Gadais added.

This 2023 bottling also marks an important vintage for the domaine: the year the estate its first Cabernet Franc symposium, bringing together Bordeaux and Loire producers for a day-long conference around the grape, the 20th vintage of Olivier Decelle at Jean Faure, and their first vintage certified biodynamic.

Château Jean Faure’s expressions of Cabernet Franc, whether that be in their Grand Vin or their 2023 single-varietal bottling, offer the wine drinker all of the best attributes of the grape when handled with care and attention: perfume, refinement, transparency of place, and charm. In an appellation where Cabernet Franc is more often than not the supporting player, and where the wines that do let it lead sit well beyond the reach of most of the people who love it, Château Jean Faure is the rare estate that makes St-Émilion Cabernet Franc both accessible and pleasurable. These are wines with character and drinkability in their youth, and with plenty of capacity to age - and for a Grand Cru Classé of this heritage and pedigree, the value they offer is exceptional.

Tasting Notes

2023 St-Émilion La Réserve (13.5% abv., SRP 22EUR): 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot. A pure, fresh nose that showcases the best of both varieties with red and dark fruits (black cherry, raspberry) and earth undertones of evergreen, thyme, rose and violets with a hint of quatre épices and cocoa. The palate is deliciously approachable with juicy acidity and fine, soft, chalky tannins that wrap around a medium bodied, pure-fruited core. A charming, companionable St-Émilion for a new generation of Bordeaux consumer. A great value and a superb introduction to Jean Faure’s work with Cabernet Franc. 15,000 bottles produced.

2023 St-Émilion Grand Cru Cabernet Franc (13.0% abv., SRP 36EUR): Fragrant and aromatic, with purity and an exuberant fresh fruit character that leaps out of the glass. Blueberry, fresh Bing cherry with a touch of blackcurrant savouriness, that is complemented by classic undertones of fresh cedar leaves, rosemary, peony and spicy notes of cinnamon and black peppercorn. Lush and succulent, with buoyant acidity and ripe, fine, velvety tannins, a structure that is well balanced by enveloping fruit and fluid layers of sweet tobacco and graphite through the mid-palate and finish. Energetic and endearing, mixing confidence and approachability, the wine feels absolutely true to place and grape. Expressive, open, scrumptious, no decanting necessary, and will continue to develop over the medium to long term (2026-2040+) 3,485 bottles produced.

2023 St-Émilion Grand Cru (13.5% abv., SRP 54EUR/$60USD): 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 5% Malbec. The classically profiled nose highlights Cabernet Franc’s aromatic perfume with clarity and confidence showcasing notes of black raspberry, blackcurrant and morello cherry, with a touch of sous bois, cedar, sage and fragrant violets and lilacs. The nose is complemented by added notes of barrique and varietal spice (allspice, clove), cocoa nibs, plum and a touch of graphite on the palate. Vibrant, invigorating acidity keeps the palate focused, while the firm, velour like tannins are made all the more supple thanks to a beautifully concentrated and pure-fruited core. Elegantly framed, complete, pure, brimming with sophistication and generosity, the 2023 “Grand Vin” is pure pleasure in its youth and has plenty to offer those who wish to hold this for the longer term (2030-2045+). Exceptional. 78,500 bottles produced.

Today, Sam Raats, Bruwer’s son, is working alongside his father with the same relentless enthusiasm for Cabernet Franc and a deep desire to make exceptional, terroir-driven wines. During my visit to South Africa in December of last year, Sam and I toured the family’s most important Cabernet Franc parcels and discussed how each vineyard shapes the wine it becomes. Afterwards, I sat down with Sam1 for a brief conversation about his love of the Polkadraai Hills, the Loire Valley, and the grape that his family helped put front and center on South Africa’s wine map.

CFC: You spend a lot of time in the vineyards here, and your Cabernet Franc’s identity is the Polkadraai Hills. What makes Polkadraai so special for Cabernet Franc?

SR: I think Cabernet Franc thrives with a cooler climate and environment, and that’s what Polkadraai has. We’re sitting here at five o’clock in the afternoon, and it’s cool. As much as it is warm, it’s cool. Polkadraai’s ability to produce versatile, quality Cabernet Franc really comes back to that.

CFC: We’re drinking a Charles Joguet Chinon Rosé right now. You’ve worked a couple harvests at Domaine Charles Joguet and spent a bit of time in the Loire. What is something South African winemakers could take away from spending time with the vignerons there, whether that be in the vineyard or the cellar?

SR: One of the biggest things I learned when I was there, we actually just mentioned it out on the vineyard, is the site-specific research being done. At Domaine Charles Joguet, they’re working with different vineyards scattered around Chinon, and instead of focusing singularly on one area, they discover the whole area they’re working with: the climatic changes, the soils, the weather patterns. Those little nuances I learned in the Loire - really understanding your vineyard to the max - are something that inspired me to want to understand that here as well.

CFC: That’s such a key takeaway. Great Cabernet Franc really does start in the vineyard. Now, I’ve tasted a lot of Cabernet Francs from across Stellenbosch this week. Can you name one from outside Polkadraai that you’ve tasted recently that spoke to you?

SR: We tasted together the Oldenburg Vineyards Cabernet Franc from the Banghoek Valley. I didn’t know they could produce a Cabernet Franc like that up there. For me, Oldenburg’s Cabernet Franc was top-notch.

CFC: Final question, describe Cabernet Franc in three words for you.

SR: Three words is tough. But if I had to - versatile is probably top. Then historic — that also feels important for Cabernet Franc. And lekker. It’s just lekker. It’s a lekker grape, it’s a lekker wine.

CFC: For those who don’t speak Afrikaans, what is the translation of “lekker”?

SR: Lekker can mean a variety of things, but in this sense, it just means it’s good, it’s top, there’s nothing wrong with it. I’ll tell you this wine is lekker, you don’t have to think about it. It’s delicious! You can’t do better than it. So, Cabernet Franc is lekker.

For more on the wines from Raats Family Wines, check out these recent articles:

And stay tuned for the release of my South Africa Cabernet Franc report. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it!

That said, I’m always curious what inspires a winery to go on the Cabernet Franc journey, particularly in a region where it isn’t the “popular” or obvious choice. So when General Manager Nancy Morrow of Willamette Valley’s Björnson Vineyard reached out to see if I’d be interested in trying their first-ever Cabernet Franc bottling, I graciously accepted.

Cabernet Franc isn’t the first grape - or likely the tenth - we think of when we think of Oregon wine. This is Pinot Noir country, after all. But looking at the state’s growing conditions, and factoring in the effects of climate change, Cabernet Franc has seen a notable uptick in plantings in recent years. As of 2025, there are 388 acres (157 ha) planted in Oregon, up from 134 acres (54 ha) in 2010 - nearly a threefold increase in fifteen years. It’s also worth noting that Cabernet Franc was one of the few varieties in the state whose harvested acreage rose in 2025 versus 2024 - 332 acres versus 208, a nearly 60% increase - against a 12% decline in harvested acres overall.1

Like most Willamette Valley wineries, Björnson set out in 2005 to make world-class Pinot Noir from their estate vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. But in the spirit of diversity and sustainability - foundational pillars for Mark and Pattie Björnson from the beginning - in 2021 they planted their 32-acre Pamar Vineyard in the windier Van Duzer Corridor AVA with a selection of experimental varieties they believed had potential to make compelling wine in that particular site. And while my knowledge of the Willamette Valley's sub-AVAs is limited, the persistent afternoon winds, which help create a longer, more even ripening period, coupled with the region's well-drained marine sediment soils suggest to me there is real potential for Cabernet Franc in this part of Oregon.

Asked about the decision to plant Cabernet Franc there, winemaker Scott Sabbadini noted that “Mark Björnson has looked to the Loire for inspiration when planting new varieties,” with small plantings of Melon de Bourgogne, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc planted alongside it. After mentioning the idea to plant Cabernet Franc to winery friends John Grochau of Grochau Cellars and Ben Casteel of Bethel Heights Vineyard, the Björnsons received an enthusiastic commitment to purchase fruit, which prompted them to plant 5.14 acres of Cabernet Franc opting to use clones 214, 327, and 623. The first harvest came in 2024, with each winery receiving an equal share of the fruit.

In the cellar, Scott’s primary objective was to first manage yield and canopy balance in the vineyard to “manage the pyrazines while maintaining Cabernet Franc’s varietal expression” and then approach the winemaking in a classical way. Each clone was fermented individually in open-top fermenters, with gentle extraction through a combination of pump-overs and punch-downs, followed by fifteen months aging in a mix of French and Hungarian oak, 35% new.

Tasting the 2024 Cabernet Franc (13.9% abv., $45USD, 220 cases produced), I was immediately taken by its complex aromatic profile - one of the qualities most beloved about this grape, and one of the hardest to achieve. Fresh and fragrant, the nose leads with red fruit (cran-raspberry juice, blood orange, morello cherry) beautifully layered with tarragon, micro basil, jasmine, and violet. So pretty. That same lift and energy carries through on the palate, joined by earth and spice undertones like fresh moss, mint, black and pink peppercorn, and allspice. Light in body but not lacking concentration, the wine’s vibrant, juicy acidity and finely-woven chalky tannins build an elegant structure with real momentum and character. Genuine, intentional, friendly, true.

Currently available in small quantities at the winery, with a larger wine club and online release slated for fall, this is a lovely first Cabernet Franc bottling for Björnson. The vines are still young, but if this wine is any indication, the estate has started its Cabernet Franc journey off on the right foot, and I’ll be keenly following along in the vintages ahead.

All that is to say, I’m delighted to be back in the Loire, even with the excruciatingly oppressive heatwave that persisted over 5+ days last week - the short and long terms impacts of which have yet to be fully understood. Thankfully, this week the temperatures have returned to more “normal” summertime conditions, and there was some welcomed scattered showers over the weekend in parts of the region to give the vines some much needed water.

Since being back, my glass has rarely been empty (and, yes, I’ve balanced my water and wine consumption to stay hydrated!). Here are some highlights from what I’ve been enjoying this month.

From the 2024 vintage, a trio of deliciously juicy and crunchy wines from Saumur-Champigny, Fabien Duveau’s 2024 “Le Bourg,” Domaine de Nerleux’s 2024 “Cuvée Printemps” and Château de Villeneuve’s 2024 “Clos de la Bienboire.” Each benefit from being slightly chilled and they all highlighted the unique characteristics of this cool, Ligérien vintage in their own way. Fabien Duveau’s Le Bourg leading with fragrant herbal notes, fine, chalky tannins and a touch of austerity that brings tension while never tipping the wine out of balance. Nerleux’s Printemps shows buoyant acidity, moreish fruit-forwardness, and a light-as-a-feather tannic profile. And Villeneuve’s Clos de la Bienboire, which I wrote about in a recent feature, showed the delicate florality and pepperiness I’ve come to adore from this vintage with thirst-quenching acidity and elegant tannins.

I’ve also enjoyed a trio of new releases from Bourgueil from the much heralded 2025 vintage. Based on my tastings in recent years, these three producers consistently demonstrate exceptional prowess in crafting these fruit-forward, early-release expressions of Cabernet Franc. From Lamé-Delisle-Bouchard, the 2025 Bourgueil “Déchainée” shows lush purply fruits and florals (think: mulberry, opal basil, lilacs) with soft but refreshing acidity, fine, chalky tannins, and finishing full in flavour but light on its feet with energetic pepperiness and plenty of lift. From Benoît Thibault’s Domaine des Perrières, their 2025 Bourgueil leans the most “old school” of the three I tried this month, and I adore it for this quality. Fragrant, classic varietal undertones (red fruit, fennel seed, cedar, tarragon), with plush, juicy acidity, impressively fine tannins, it perfectly balances fruit-forwardness and savoury-earthiness, in a package that is deliciously drinkable and wonderfully charming at the same time. Finally, Yannick Amirault’s 2025 Bourgueil “Côte 50” is, to put it quite simply, a very sexy Cabernet Franc. Delectable, dark fruited, dried sage and mint, acacia florals, exquisitely velour-like tannins, concentrated without feeling heavy or opulent, it is enveloping, caressing, with just the perfect amount of mouth-watering acidity to make you say “oh yes, please, I’d like another glass.” It should be part of every warm climate/vintage Cabernet Franc winemaker’s homework to taste this wine. Period.

A heatwave wouldn’t be complete without some rosé, and with the forecast expected in July, you can bet there will be more rosé tasting notes to come. I enjoyed my last bottle of Bernard Baudry 2024 Chinon Rosé, which was showing beautifully after a year in the cellar, with lovely creamy, melon notes, layered with fine white pepper and ground ginger spice, crisp and vibrant, full-flavoured and deeply satisfying. And I also enjoyed a delightful treat I brought back from South Africa in December, the 2024 Cabernet Franc Rosé from Zorgvliet in the Banghoek ward in eastern Stellenbosch. Lively and delicate, it displayed quite a pretty fruit profile that was “sunny” and fleshy while still feeling quite fresh. Notes of pomelo, Rainer cherry, with floral undertones (white lilac, rose and jasmine) and a touch of micro basil. Plush and a touch creamy, it delivered just what to doctor ordered on a steamy June evening in the Loire.

Last week I attended the 14th edition of La Paulée d’Anjou, which was held this year at Grenier St-Jean in Angers. This is one of the great events in the Loire celebrating Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc from the terroirs of Anjou: Anjou Noir (the schists and sandstones of Western Anjou), Anjou Blanc (the limestones of Eastern Anjou and Saumur) and the “Bourgueillois” (the terroirs of Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil). There were more than 100 Cabernet Francs present as part of the event, and while it would be impossible to list all of my favourites here, I do want to share some highlights.

Saumur, Saumur-Champigny and Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame: The inaugural release from Terres des Carmes, the 2025 Saumur Rouge “Primavera” showed beautiful energy and purity with succulent acidity and plush tannins. From the very Ligérien 2024 vintage, there were some beauties from Théo Blet, his 2024 Saumur Rouge “Le Corbin”, which displayed lovely balance, elegance and depth of varietal character, and the Domaine Moly 2024 Saumur-Champigny “Les Sybraties,” which I love for its perfume, persistence, and focus. There was a lot on offer from the 2023 vintage, but a standout was the Fabien Duveau 2023 Saumur-Champigny “Haut Poyeux,” which showed lovely herbal aromatics, fine, velvety tannins and taut mineral spine.

From the 2020 vintage, there were two wines I found particularly impressive: the Domaine de l’Enchantoir 2020 Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame “Clos du Petit Chavannes,” which I also tasted last year and it continues to delight my palate for its balance, fine structure and freshness, and the 2020 Saumur-Champigny “Le Bourg” from Clos Rougeard, which enchants with its fragrant aromatics, dense yet impressively fine tannins, and velour-like mid-palate - both will continue to improve over time. Finally, a back vintage of Château de Villeneuve’s 2009 Saumur-Champigny “Le Grand Clos” was presented at the afternoon seminar, and the wine continues to reaffirm why this cuvée ranks among the Loire’s best expressions of Cabernet Franc and why the 2009 vintage is absolutely one of my favourite of the 21st century for Loire Cabernet Franc.

Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil: From the commune of St-Patrice in eastern Bourgueil, I am still very smitten with the wines from Domaine de l’Oubliée, which I wrote about last year, and both the 2021 Bourgueil “Notre Histoire” and 2021 Bourgueil “Tenue de Soirée” show beautiful focus, clarity, layered complexity and wonderful buvabilité. Domaine du Bel Air in Benais shows how a deft hand can wield exquisite results in ripe, solaire vintages, like the silky structure and approachability of the 2025 Bourgueil “Jour de Soif” or the enduring freshness, elegance and longevity of the 2003 Bourgueil “Grand Mont.” Also from Benais, a domaine that has been quietly guided by the sage experience of neighbour Pierre Gauthier, the wines of Simon Remy are showing immense potential and promise after only three vintages. His 2023 Bourgueil “Au Fils de Coteaux” and 2022 Bourgueil “Les Vlaudons” both show beautiful generosity of fruit, concentration without heaviness, and refined aromatics. From Restigné’s Domaine de la Chevalerie, the 2019 Bourgueil “Busardières” was an absolute stunner with arresting herbal, floral and spice aromatics, exquisite chalky tannins and wonderfully fresh and enveloping mid-palate ease. Finally, a pair of 2005s were shown at the afternoon masterclass, the Domaine de la Cotelleraie 2005 St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil “L’Envolée” and the Yannick Amirault 2005 Bourgueil “Les Quartiers,” both exhibited impressive freshness, energy, and aromatic complexity, all with 20 years of age and showing no signs of fatigue.

Anjou Noir and Anjou Blanc: From Anjou Blanc soils, but two very different parts of the appellation, come two delicious Cabernet Francs from Jardin de Fleury and Château Bois-Brinçon. Based in Thouars, Carole Kohler’s 2024 “Jardin” Cabernet Franc is an absolutely beautiful expression of the variety from this difficult vintage, with fine purity, energy, aromatic herbal perfume and juicy, thirst-quenching acidity. And from further north in Eastern Anjou, around the hamlet of Blaison-Saint-Sulpice, the Château Bois-Brinçon 2023 Anjou Villages “Le Clos des Cosses” comes from a type of marl unique to this part of Anjou and the 2023 shows great balance and mineral focus with plenty of complexity, a generous but fine herbal character and engaging spiciness. And from Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné in Western Anjou, two vintages of Terre de l’Elu’s “Magellan” showed the layered complexity and impressive longevity of the Cabernet Franc from this parcel. The 2022 Magellan showed gorgeous fruit and herbal complexity, with power, density and fine, elegant tannins, while the 2015 Magellan presented at the afternoon masterclass showed how all that power and density from a warmer vintage can be transformed into layered exotic spiciness, potpourri florals, very fine supple tannins and textural generosity.

Finally, over the weekend, I celebrated my birthday with the latest release from sparkling wine house Bouvet-Ladubay, their 2019 “Ogmius Rosé” Saumur Mousseux Extra Brut. This is the rosé pair to the maison’s other prestige cuvée the Ogmius Blanc, and the 2019 vintage is the inaugural release of this 100% Cabernet Franc traditional method sparkling rosé, which is only available in magnums at a prestige price of 86EUR a bottle. This is possibly the most ambitious sparkling Cabernet Franc I’ve ever tasted.

It leans more vinous, savoury and in a slightly more oxidative style than what we typically think of for most Saumur Mousseux Rosé. Layered red fruits and citrus (red currant, white cranberry, salted lime) with complex herbals (fennel fronds, Makrut lime leaves, white tea, jasmine), finely spiced (candied ginger, cardamon) and a touch of roasted Marcona almond and fine phyllo pastry - it is a very complex sparkling wine! Crisp, focused acidity marries with a very fine, delicate mousse, the wine is structured, but in a manner that feels more ornate than powerful. Serious, but with a touch of rococo flair, it is concentrated, contemplative, beautifully harmonious. Special occasion worthy and probably a very compelling wine to share blind with someone who loves Champagne.

The estate is comprised of four hectares of vines, and they launched with their two core reds: the La Nomade Saumur Rouge from parcels in Artannes-sur-Thouet and the Les Sybarites Saumur-Champigny from old vine parcels in Chacé, Varrains and Chaintres. They have since begun to produce two addition Cabernet Francs: their Bazaar, which is their early release, “spring” wine, if you will, that is vinifed in a combination of stainless steel and concrete, and their Alter Sybarites, which is one barrel of their Les Sybarites that sees an additional year of aging in barrel. And there may be a new single vineyard Cabernet Franc coming to the line-up from the 2025 vintage from a parcel in the lieu-dit Frogères, a premiere site located just north of Les Poyeux in Chacé.

In a short period of time, Etienne has emerged as a rising star in the Saumur region, thanks in part to mentors like Romain Guiberteau, but also because of a character trait I think is inherent in many of the world’s great makers of Cabernet Franc - inquisitiveness. Etienne is driven by not just a humble pursuit of excellence, but a genuine belief in the potential of Cabernet Franc from his vineyards and the Saumur region as a whole. His passion, his curiosity, his desire to taste, listen and learn, his quest for constant improvement, and that nagging urge to question himself as much as the world around him - these are what make him, quite simply, one to watch.

CFC: You came to Saumur for Chenin Blanc. What is it about Cabernet Franc that has you falling in love with this grape?

EM: Yes, absolutely, I came here for my love of Chenin, but I needed to get to know Cabernet Franc. And I have since very much fallen in love with the grape. The main thing that drives me is that there is still so much to discover and to do with it. We have a good base, especially in the Loire, especially in Saumur, but I believe the glass ceiling on Cabernet Franc is somewhere up in the sky. The potential is huge. All we have to do is, vintage after vintage, keep on learning and keep on striving to make better wines.

CFC: For someone tasting your wines for the first time, how would you describe La Nomade and Les Sybarites?

EM: Les Sybarites is our Saumur-Champigny and it’s meant to be a Cabernet Franc that is more chiselled and elongated. La Nomade is our Saumur Rouge, still Cabernet Franc, but because the vines are on clay, it gives something a bit spicier and bolder. Two different wines to love.

CFC: You are new to Cabernet Franc as a winemaker. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about working with Cabernet Franc?

EM: I would quote Guillaume Pire from Château de Fosse Sèche, who says: Cabernet Franc picking date is now. Not the day before, and not the day after. There is a bit of room for mistakes for beginners, but at Domaine Moly we’d rather pick a day early than a day too late.

CFC: Last question: if you could describe Cabernet Franc in three words, what would those three words be for you?

EM: Spice. Fresh. Energy.

For more on the wines from Domaine Moly, check out this feature on the estate:

So then, why Cabernet Franc?

Well, to me, you are perfect.

You are resilient. For over two thousand years, you have quietly woven your way through the world of wine, subtly rooting yourself everywhere, surviving and thriving when others have fallen out of favour.

You are adaptable, malleable, flexible. You embrace the cold and you retain your composure when things get a little hot. Whatever the season, whatever t…

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For more than 20 vintages, Benoît Amirault has been shaping the domaine's direction building on the important groundwork laid by his father, Yannick, in the 1980s and 90s. Founded in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, the estate now spans 20 hectares across the two appellations, and Benoît brings precision and thoughtfulness to his work, and a near-obsessive focus on highlighting the fruit character in Cabernet Franc - a common thread that weaves its way through their entire range of wines.

We had some extra time to catch up on my last visit to the domaine, and what follows is a short, candid conversation about terroir,…

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I would argue that the one thing that truly makes Cabernet Franc the ultimate wine to enjoy with food is the very thing that makes this grape polarizing for so many - that is, its green side. This herbal, earthy, savoury, and vegetal dimension is inherent to the grape’s DNA; it needs to be there for Cabernet Franc to be Cabernet Franc. Too often it is reduced to a conversation about methoxypyrazines rearing their ugly head when the grape is underripe, or erroneously oversimplifying it outright as green bell pepper (a topic that warrants a dedicated post!). Cabernet Franc’s green edge is far more complex and nuanced than that, and it is precisely that complexity that makes it one of the most companionable and versatile wines on the table.

In blanc de noir or white expressions of Cabernet Franc, the green side of the grape tends to be more delicate and subtle. These wines often carry wispy herbal aromatics, such as fennel frond, celery leaf, white currant, and chervil, woven with soft floral notes that suggest a springlike freshness that feels light as air. These wines belong alongside foods like freshly shucked oysters with a cucumber mignonette, young, creamy chèvre, barely dressed spring greens, or simply steamed asparagus or artichokes with a bright vinaigrette. The green edge here is never assertive, rather it does quiet yet important work on the table being a natural foil for some of Mother Nature’s verdant delicacies that are at their best when prepared simply and cleanly.

In rosé expressions of Cabernet Franc, this is perhaps where the grape’s green and earthy character is at its most playful - lifted, luminous, and lively with notes of rhubarb, lemon thyme, lime zest, basil, and lilac - and yet it never loses its footing. This is what separates a Cabernet Franc rosé from so many of its peers. Rosé, as a style, can too easily tip into caricature: all candy-bright fruit and no anchor, pretty in the glass but adrift at the table. Cabernet Franc’s inherent herbaceousness pulls it back to earth, quite literally, grounding the wine’s fruit in something savoury and real. The result is a rosé that is as comfortable as an apéritif alongside prosciutto with melon or radishes with cultured butter and sea salt as it is with a panzanella salad, an asparagus and goat cheese tart, herby steamed mussels, or a long, unhurried al fresco lunch. It bridges the gap between white and red effortlessly. There really is, as I have said before, a Cabernet Franc rosé for just about every occasion.

In cooler climates and vintages, Cabernet Franc arrives at something that feels unmistakably like home. This is the grape in its most elemental expression - pure, precise, and alive with the scents of a country garden after rain. Fresh herbs weave through the glass gracefully: thyme, rosemary, tarragon, mint, sage. Beneath them, lush foresty notes of cedar, moss, ferns and rich humus ground the wine in something restorative - the kind of earthiness that clears the head and quiets the noise. There is no pomp and circumstance here, just approachability and ease. And at the table, they behave the same way. These are wines that meet you where you’re at. They are equally happy alongside a simple roast chicken, your favourite pasta, grilled steak, a plate of charcuterie, or a slow-cooked Sunday stew. The herb-laced earthiness of the wine doesn’t demand a particular kind of cooking; it asks only that you sit down, pour a glass, and enjoy. Comforting, generous, and unfailingly good company, these expressions remind you that Cabernet Franc brings its best self when enjoyed alongside food.

Move into warmer climates and sunnier vintages, and the green side of Cabernet Franc doesn’t disappear - it transforms. The herbal spectrum gives way to something decidedly more Mediterranean in feel: bay leaf, garrigue, oregano, marjoram, green and black olive, cypress. These flavours speak to a sun-drenched hillside rather than a cool country garden, and they serve an entirely different function at the table. Here, the grape’s herbal and savoury character becomes a counterweight to richness. A warmer-climate Cabernet Franc, with its fuller body and deeper herbal undertones, is exactly what you want alongside slow-braised lamb shank, spice-rubbed pork ribs, comforting eggplant parm, or a deeply flavoured beef cheek daube. The wine’s aromatic complexity doesn’t compete with the richness of these preparations; it cuts through it and ties the whole experience together.

With time, the green side of Cabernet Franc undergoes its most remarkable transformation. The fresh herbs and earth of its youth slowly give way to something more autumnal and otherworldly: sous bois, dried autumn leaves, forest floor, desiccated violets, wild mushroom, petrichor, tobacco, cigar box. These are the tertiary aromas that only age can coax out of the wine, and it is here the argument for Cabernet Franc as the ultimate food wine comes full circle. Where the wine’s greenness was once the quality that gave pause to the skeptic, with sufficient bottle age it becomes the very thing that makes the wine extraordinary at the table. Cabernet Franc with a bit of age calls for dishes with similar depth and complexity: a wild mushroom risotto, a navarin of lamb, slow-roasted game, roasted root vegetables, dishes made with hearty grains like farro or barley. The marriage of wine and food here is earthy, layered, and deeply satisfying in a way that feels less like a pairing and more like a reunion.

Across every expression, every climate, every stage of its evolution, the thread remains the same. Cabernet Franc’s green DNA is the grape’s humble superpower. A spectrum so broad and so nuanced that it can whisper of fennel and chervil in a blanc de noir, anchor with rhubarb and lemon thyme in rosé, sing of sage and cedar in a cool-climate red, invigorate with garrigue and cypress with the warmth of the sun, and, with time, transform into something altogether more compelling and profound. At every point along that spectrum, Cabernet Franc knows its purpose. It asks for nothing, demands no particular occasion or elaborate preparation. It simply shows up at the table, looks up at you, and says: how can I help. Effortless, generous, and candid to its core, it elevates whatever you put in front of it. A food wine at its very best - the way nature intended.

It would be a few more years before I met Éric in person, at Les Vignerons Dans la Ville in Chinon in 2024, and a few more still before I finally made it to the domaine itself on a rather dreary February day earlier this year. Some things are worth the wait.

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A large part of my focus this month was on the three new articles I published here (linked down below if you missed them) and also organizing myself for a trip to the Finger Lakes, my first visit since 2023, so that I can write a report on the region’s Cabernet Francs. With the Cab Franc Forward initiative in full swing and all of its accompanying momentum, as well as the Finger Lakes region being “in my backyard,” it was high time to get back there and get a better sense of what is going on in the region from those that live it and breathe it everyday.

I’ve highlighted a few of my Finger Lakes experiences here (a little preview of what’s to come), but throughout the month I also took some time to taste a few random treasures from my cellar. So, let’s dive in!

Domaine Xavier et Agnès Amirault (Clos des Quarterons), 2017 Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil "Les Gravilices" (12.0% abv., SRP $30USD): From older vines on very gravelly soils in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, the estate’s "Les Gravilices” bottling always has a little more structure that their “Les Quarterons” cuvée, in part thanks to a little soupçon of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon, but it is still very much in keeping with this earthy, soft, approachable style of Cabernet Franc. Lifted and fragrant, the nose is translucent with mostly red fruits (currant, cranberry-raspberry, with a hint of black currant and black currant leaf) and layered with a heady mix of rose florals, twiggy dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, dried mint) and peppercorn medley spice. The palate is lean and savoury, with some added tertiary layers of dried cedar, cured black olive and scorched earth. Mouth-watering, zippy acidity and soft, fine, linen-like tannins, it has good flesh through the middle palate and a lingering, round finish. This is still drinking well at nearly ten years from vintage date and nothing suggests to me that this is going to start getting tired anytime soon. Decant for optimal enjoyment, and consider serving with a slow roasted lamb shoulder.

Domaine de la Noblaie, 2022 Chinon “Les Temps de Cerises” (13.5% abv., SRP $27USD): This is the “entry-level” bottling from Domaine de la Noblaie, which comes from a mix of clay-dominated parcels in Ligré on Chinon’s left bank. The clayey impact in this wine brings much more structure than we often associated with early-drinking styles from Chinon, and that, coupled with the concentration and ripeness from the vintage, means this wine could easily go toe-to-toe with vin de garde from another producer. Vibrant and high-toned, the nose is bright and energetic with a sweet-tart, snappy dark fruit core (dark cherry, black currant, and bramble) with supporting herbal and foresty notes (rosemary, cedar wood, mint) and a touch of lavender. Clean and pure, the palate adds vivid, piquant spice (Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon stick and chilli flake). Lively acidity and densely packed, fine, chewy tannins provide excellent framing on the palate, though it does feel a little closed based on the last time I checked in on this wine. Though some of the wine’s early baby fat has melted away and the tannins requiring a bit more time to resolve, the fruit concentration and flavour depth are more than sufficient to carry it for many years to come. Medium-bodied, approachable, contemporary, wines like this continue to confirm why Domaine de la Noblaie is in the upper echelon of Chinon estates.

Domaine des Roches Neuves, 2023 Saumur-Champigny (12.5% abv., SRP $30USD): I wanted to revisit this wine earlier in the month knowing I was going to be pouring and talking about the 2024 during an upcoming seminar in the Finger Lakes. Domaine des Roches Neuves cuvée “domaine” is from a mix of parcels, often younger blocks from their most esteemed lieux-dits, and vinified all in stainless steel. Still quite fresh, the wine is immediately charming with a nose that marries red and blue fruits (wild strawberries and blueberries on a summer afternoon) with herbal undertones of mint, tarragon and chive flowers, lifted by the prettiest floral notes of peony. There is a clarity and purity here that is a signature of Thierry and Louis Germain’s superb work with Cabernet Franc. The palate carries that same effortless energy, with mouth-watering, buoyant acidity that refreshes without austerity, and soft, satiny tannins that tighten into a fine, chalky finish for just enough structure. Medium-bodied with a subtle generosity to the fruit, this is a wine that is elegant, complete and friendly. It feels like early spring in a glass - dewy, verdant, hopeful.

Durigutti, 2021 Cabernet Franc, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (13.9% abv., SRP $20USD): From vineyards in the sub-regions of Las Compuertas and Argelo in Luján de Cuyo, and fermented in concrete and aged in fourth-use 500L French oak barrels for 6 months, this is consistently a great benchmark Argentinian Cabernet Franc - and it has held up well in the bottle! The nose and palate show classic tertiary characteristics of warm climate Cabernet Franc with a bit of age, such as notes of dried blackberries and green fig alongside dried leaves and scorched earth, and distinctive herbal aromatics of dried bay leaf and oregano complemented by Earl Grey tea, with the bergamot adding an elegant, perfumed lift. On the palate, fresh, cleansing acidity keeps things lively, while the tannins are velvety and ripe with just a touch of sinewy chew. Full-bodied and richly textured without tipping into excess, with balancing sweet spice (quatre épices and black pepper) through the mid-palate and finish, this is a well-built Cabernet Franc with character and sense of place.

I spent all last week in the Finger Lakes, and then drove out to Long Island to be a part of Lenn Thompson’s tasting panel for his upcoming report on East Coast Cabernet Franc. After eight days and 3200km in my car, I tasted more than 250 Cabernet Francs, most of which was during my visits in the Finger Lakes.

Among the highlights from the week, I was fortunate to have had some thorough “tasting trips down memory lane” with a few producers such as Dr. Konstantin Frank, Sheldrake Point, Hermann J Wiemer, Boundary Breaks, and Master Sommelier Christopher Bates’s Element Winery, all of whom generously opened some library wines so that we explore and discuss each of their journeys making Cabernet Franc in the Finger Lakes.

I also just happened to be visiting when the annual Discover Dry Rosé tasting (organized for industry professionals) was taking place in Geneva. It isn’t often I get to taste such a diverse array of Cabernet Franc rosés in one place! Highlights from this event were some new discoveries for me including the Point of the Bluff Vineyards 2025 Rosé made by former Heron Hill winemaker Jordan Harris, the Casa Larga 2025 Rosé of Cabernet Franc from their vineyards just south of Rochester, Anthony Road’s 2025 Rosé of Cabernet Franc (their Lemberger rosé was very good too!), the floral and almost blanc de noir-pale Neverstill 2025 Rosé, and a library release from McGregor Vineyard who’s been making dry Cabernet Franc rosé since 2002, and their 2020 Rosé was showing remarkably well for being nearly six years old!

In addition to all my winery visits and other tastings, I was also in the region to give an industry seminar on Cabernet Franc, which was hosted by Forge Cellars. From all levels of the Finger Lakes wine trade - grape growers, winemakers, viticulturalists, owners, marketing managers, and more - more than fifty people gathered to gain insights into what is happening in the world of Cabernet Franc, where the Finger Lakes is positioned relative to other wine growing regions, how the region can evolve and improve their work with the variety, and why the Finger Lakes is well-positioned to become a leading benchmark region for the variety in North America.

To establish a benchmark for the attendees, I presented six Loire Valley Cabernet Francs, including the Domaine du Bel Air 2024 Bourgueil “Jour du Soif,” Domaine des Roches Neuves 2024 Saumur-Champigny, Philippe Alliet 2023 Chinon, Domaine Filliatreau 2023 Saumur-Champigny “La Grande Vignolle,” Bernard Baudry 2022 Chinon “Les Grézeaux,” Domaine des Closiers 2022 Saumur-Champigny “Les Closiers.” Not only did these wines impress for their quality and deliciousness, they also served as jumping off point for thoughtful dialogue around viticultural practices, winemaking, vintage variation, varietal character and “correctness,” communications and more. The seminar was followed by an industry social where everyone was encouraged to bring a bottle of Cabernet Franc to share, which fuelled even more curiosity and conversation.

I couldn’t be more grateful to the folks at Forge for bringing this event to life. It is my hope that industry events like this around Cabernet Franc continue with some degree of regularity, because there is no better way for an industry to move the needle qualitatively than through the kind of open, inquisitive conversation that happens when passionate people gather around a common purpose (and grape!) with a shared willingness to taste critically and learn collectively.

That just about wraps it for April! In case you missed some of my recent articles, I’ve highlighted a few below. As always, thank you reading and being on this journey.

Matthieu and Domaine Bernard Baudry need little introduction for lovers of Loire Cabernet Franc. Established in the mid-1970s by Matthieu’s father Bernard, the domaine today is one of Chinon's benchmark estates, and Matthieu has been shaping its direction since his first vintage in 2001. What follows is a lightly edited conversation about the grape he knows best: what it asks of the people who grow it, how to introduce new consumers to it, and what it feels like when it's truly singing.

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What Jean-Pierre leaves behind is not simply a well-run estate, but a foundation…

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The United States has had a number of pioneering importers - Kermit Lynch, Joe Dressner, Neal Rosenthal to name a few - who fell in love with Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, long before the likes of Clos Rougeard and others became coveted favourites among wine professionals. David Lille of Chamber Street Wines is not mentioned to the same degree as some of the aforementioned importers, but one quick browse of the company’s online store and you will see very quickly that David has a soft spot in his heart for the Loire Valley. And thanks to David Lille’s keen palate, he “discovered” Stéphane Guion and his wines back in 2009 and didn't hesitate to see what others had missed.

My first introduction to Stéphane’s wines came when I lived in Miami, when there was a local distributor carrying the range from Percy Selec…

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For those that don’t live in Ontario or many parts of Northeastern United States, this winter has been one of the coldest, snowiest and longest winters in recent memory. The first snowfall arrived on November 9th, and as I type this, there are snow drifts over 50cm deep still blanketing my yard that have not begun to melt. I’m so over it.

Meanwhile, in the Loire Valley, spring is well underway, Chenin buds (with Cabernet Franc not far behind) have already burst across much of the region, and vignerons were on frost watch late last week. Early reports suggest that temperatures didn’t dip low enough to cause any damage, but the frost risk window will persist through April, so no doubt there may still be more sleepless nights ahead for vignerons.

This involuntary hibernation brought on by the winter of 2026 did mean, however, that I was able to be productive in my tastings and planning for the months ahead. So, I suppose there is a flip side to every coin. Suffice it to say, I will be very happy to see “April” at the top of the calendar tomorrow.

After a busy February, March was a relatively relaxed month of tasting, and I’m delighted to share with you a few highlights from recent weeks.

In my January Tasting Diaries, I highlighted the 2022 Saumur Rouge “Clos Mazurique” from Arnaud Lambert, and earlier this month I decided to pop the cork on the 2022 Saumur-Champigny “Terres Rouges” (14% abv., SRP $25USD/12 EUR). If you ever have the chance, these two wines are always fascinating to taste side-by-side as they are essentially made the exact same way but from two distinct terroirs. I actually did this exercise during an Instagram Live back in 2023 in honour of Cabernet Franc Day, which was a fun 75-minute nerdy deep dive into these two terroirs and wines. Generally speaking, the Terres Rouges is always a bit more plush, open and generous than the Clos Mazurique from the same vintage, while the Clos Mazurique leans more nuanced and reserved.

The 2022 Terres Rouges is in a terrific place at the moment. Lifted, fragrant, spicy, with foresty red fruits (cranberry, lingonberry, raspberry) mixing with well-defined herbal notes of mint and rosemary alongside pink florals and a touch of sumac (the sumac note in this wine is very consistent from vintage to vintage). A heady mélange of Cabernet Franc varietal spice (pink, black, Sichuan peppercorns) comes through more on the palate. Refreshing acidity and silky, uniform tannins weave together to create a seamless structure, while a plush, fruit-ladened mid-palate delivers pleasure and drinkability. Layered, pure, precise, without being intricate, with lovely balance and restraint for the vintage.

Le Macchiole, 2018 IGT Toscana “Paleo Rosso,” Bolgheri, Italy (14% abv., SRP $125USD): Sometimes you just need to open a showstopper Cabernet Franc! Particularly when enjoying a standing prime rib roast with all the fixings to help cure the mid-winter blues. The Paleo Rosso is Bolgheri’s original 100% Cabernet Franc. Today, nearly a third of all estates in the region bottle a 100% Cabernet Franc as part of their range, but in 2001, it was Le Macchiole that was the first to decide to put Cabernet Franc on the pedestal that the grape deserves. The wine is from selection of the family’s top parcels and made in a very classic, “Super Tuscan” style with extended aging in new oak barriques.

This is a wine that definitely benefits from cellaring, and when drunk on the younger side, like this 2018, decanting is certainly recommended to help soften and integrate some the wood tannin that is a bit more pronounced in its youth. With a little bit of oxygen, the wine began to unfurl with Mediterranean Cabernet Franc energy marrying fresh red and dark fruited notes (bramble, sour cherry compote, blackcurrant) with dry, garrigue-like herbal undertones (bay leaf, cypress, dried oregano and oregano oil), piquant Espelette pepper and robust baking spices. The palate is plush yet refined, with refreshing acidity and fine, velvety tannins that finish with a touch of chalky grip. Richly textured and round, with elegance and poise through the finish, this wine aristocratic and stately while being understated at the same time.

COR Wine Cellars, 2023 Cabernet Franc, Alder Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State, USA (13% abv., SRP $36USD): I don’t have the opportunity to taste as much Cabernet Franc from Washington State as I would like. So when the Washington State Wine Commission offered to send me some samples to try, I didn’t hesitate to accept their offer. COR Wine Cellars was established in 2004, and Cabernet Franc has been a staple of their range since the 2005 vintage. Tenuta di Trinoro-trained winemaker and owner Luke Bradford likes to showcase the grape in a cool climate style with a focus on purity of fruit and vibrant acidity. The 2023 is sourced from older vines (planted in 1997) from a cooler block of the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in south-central Washington State.

Using a touch of whole bunches in the fermentation and seeing just 10 months of aging in neutral oak, the wine leads with pure, classic varietal character with fresh red berry fruits (raspberry, cherry, strawberry coulis), earth and herbal undertones of thyme and fragrant pine bows, mixing with very pretty florals (lilac, jasmine). The acidity is lively and crisp, and that crispness of the acid structure extends to the tannins, which have a very finely woven, percale cotton-like texture. This structure coupled with the fresh florals immediately brought to mind freshly cleaned bed sheets hanging out to dry on a cool, spring morning! The crisp-juicy palate is delightfully complemented by spicy notes of pink peppercorn, chilli flake, star anise and Ceylon cinnamon. Medium-bodied, balanced, playful and approachable from the first sip. As far as first impressions go, this is a winner, and I love that it has this well-intentioned, thoughtful side working in tandem with its playful energy.

Château de Villeneuve, 2021 Saumur-Champigny (13% abv., SRP $25USD/13 EUR): I did a bit of wine cellar organization this month (my kind of spring cleaning!) and realized that I had 5 bottles of the “domaine” cuvée from the 2021 vintage from Château de Villeneuve. Given that I have been loving the 2021s from across the Loire Valley at the moment, I figured it was worth tucking into a bottle to see where this wine was at. This is the estate’s “early-drinking” expression from a selection of their parcels in Souzay-Champigny and is vinified all in stainless steel. It typically represents about 50% of the domaine’s red wine production (60,000-70,000 bottles). With some additional time in the bottle, this cuvée is really leaning into Cabernet Franc’s earthy and herbal side, which I absolutely love. This wine is really intended to be drunk within five-ish years from vintage date, but structurally the wine can age much longer - it is really just a question of personal preference and how you prefer to enjoy your Cabernet Franc.

Much of the wine’s youthful, vibrant fruit has melted away to reveal a complex tapestry of earth and herbal notes, like rich potting soil, cedar leaves, beet root, za’atar, cool and lush evergreen forest, which are complemented by a bit of dried blueberry and cranberry mixing with violet potpourri, star anise and allspice. Bright, cleansing acidity with soft, silky tannins that finish with a touch chalkiness, the wine is suave, sophisticated with impressive impact and mid-palate weight from what was a cooler vintage for Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. Poised and timeless, I think this wine will continue to age gracefully for the medium term, and those earthier undertones will continue to become amplified with time. I enjoyed this with homemade duck confit and braised lentils, and it was a knockout pairing.

Tawse, 2013 Laundry Vineyard Cabernet Franc, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara, Ontario, Canada (13.5% abv., SRP $35CAD): There are a handful of “lighthouse” Cabernet Francs that have been extremely significant to me on this journey, and this wine is one of them. When I started my wine career in the Niagara Peninsula, the Laundry Vineyard Cabernet Franc from Tawse was a wine that delivered one of those “ah-ha” moments and helped to further embolden my passion for this grape. The late Paul Pender was one of Ontario’s great champions of Cabernet Franc, and he made upwards of 5 expressions of the variety each vintage. The wine comes from some of the oldest Cabernet Franc vines planted in Ontario (planted in the early 1980s, and the parcel is on very deep, iron oxide-rich sandy soils close to Lake Ontario’s shoreline.

Approaching a dozen years of bottle age, the wine is showing really well - a testament to Paul’s meticulous approach to crafting Cabernet Franc. Aromatic and spicy on the nose with fruit, earth and spice working in tandem, showcasing notes of cranberry, raspberry and a touch of sour cherry, complemented by heady herbals (dried rosemary, sage and fresh marjoram) and punchy, warming spices (lots of cinnamon, in ground and stick form, dried ginger, chilli flake). The palate shows additional layers of capsicum (roasted poblano pepper) and cured tobacco. Soft but cleansing acidity that shows nice persistence through the finish marries well with fine, linen-like tannins to create a round, elegant, well-defined structure that carries through to a long, spicy finish. Balanced, intentional, serious yet approachable. Today, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Southbrook Vineyards vinifies the Laundry Vineyard Cabernet Franc, and Casey Hogan’s bottling from the 2020 vintage is exceptional, not to mention a superb value.

Domaine de la Chevalerie, 2019 Bourgueil “Noms d’Oiseaux” (13% abv., SRP $25USD/15 EUR): Perhaps my subconscious reached for this recently as an optimistic foreshadowing of the eventual return of songbirds and, along with them, more spring-like weather. And every time I drink a wine from Domaine de la Chevalerie, I am reminded that I am long overdue for a return visit to the domaine to taste with Emmanuel and Laurie - two of the kindest people in the industry you will ever meet. The Noms d’Oiseaux is part of the estate’s range of Cuvées d’Inspiration that come from a mix of parcels selected to deliver a certain “sentiment” in the glass. Noms d’Oiseaux is from deeper alluvial soils, a little lower on the slope in Restigné, known to give generous fruit and a deeply pleasurable wine.

Soft-spoken and understated on the nose, the wine leads with purity and clarity. Reserved and refined aromatics that balance fresh fruits and herbs. A mix of red and dark fruits (Bing cherry, black raspberry, and a touch of wild blueberry compote) are on equal footing with a mix of soft, wispy herbs (opal basil, tarragon, spearmint) and a pretty pink floral perfume. More layers emerge on the palate including lush forest floor, liquorice, cardamom, clove and a hint of Sichuan peppercorn. Lively, fresh and refreshing acidity weaves together effortlessly with silky, supple tannins. Round and plush while also being beautifully delineated, the wine is generous without being overbearing. It is absolutely scrumptious, moreish and welcoming with enough complexity to invite further introspective contemplation if the moment allows for it and the drinker is yearning for a deeper experience.

Thank you, as always, for reading and for your continued support. What wine do you reach for on that first, beautifully spring day? Let me know in the comments!

As history would have it, Mother Nature has delivered …

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Launched in late 2024, Cab Franc Forward is the brainchild of Max Rohn of Wölffer Estate and Gabriella Macari of Macari Vineyards, who set out to increase awareness of the quality and distinctiveness of Cabernet Franc from New York State. Partnering with six other founding wineries from across Long Island, the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley, the group’s promotional efforts over the last 15 months has garnered New York Cabernet Franc acclaim from influential journalists, top sommeliers and international wine critics, and has charte…

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