My Most Memorable Cabernet Francs of 2021

A Year in Review

After first committing to curating a list of my most memorable wines of the year, I looked back with a moment of pause and a regretful “UGH” at the thought of having to “choose” some of my favourite wines of the year. I mean, these wines are like my children, I love them all so dearly, how can I pick my favourites? Then upon further reflection, and reviewing my photos, videos and notes from 2021, I did realize that there were indeed some standout Cabernet Francs that I enjoyed this year, although perhaps not for the most obvious reasons.

Over the course of the last twelve months, I’ve tasted over 100 different Cabernet Francs, including reds, rosés and even sparkling, from producers on four continents. The majority of what I tasted has been from the Loire Valley, which has been a thrill to dive into this region on the level that I have, and to see the diversity of styles coming from the complex mosaic of terroirs across the region. For my research, I’ve also explored expressions of Cab…