WTN: A New World Cab

I asked the question in the Stuart Malan thread- what do you mean by Cab? Do you mean Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, a blend of both, a blend with others. I notice, sometimes, on labels, when both C.Sauv and C. Franc are used, the word 'Cabernet' with no qualification may appear on the label.

The following wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot - and after tasting it I have to ask why don't we have more of these Cab Franc dominant blends in New Zealand because it was striking and memorable. And what is the world's most famous Cab Franc / Merlot blend? Surely it is Cheval Blanc. What a wine to emulate.

Kim Crawford SP Cabernet Franc Merlot 2002 is a medium to full-bodied wine with a deep plummy red colour and a remarkable fragrance that many wines strive for but few manage to get. The gorgeous, almost floral fragrance carries through to the palate which is spicy and creamy with American oak adding a rather alluring vanillin edge. Hints of cigar box and a touch of plum and chocolate wrap up the silky tannined package. A gorgeous and deliciously drinkable red with a lasting finish and very youthful for its almost 6 years of age.
Region: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Screwcap closure. 13.5% alc. 14 months in American oak. The 'SP' in the name denotes 'Small Parcels'. It signifies this as being superior to the standard Kim Crawford range.

And who would have thought it would match to snapper in a creamy white wine sauce. You just never what will work, sometimes, not until you actually try it.

Thanks to John Fiola, who brought this along to a casual dinner on his last night in NZ earlier in the month.

[Jenise]

Merlot and Cab Franc together are really a magical combination, as the Bordelais long ago proved. Tell John to bring back a case for his buddies.

You cause me to think about the very few new world examples of this blend I've had (Havens Bourriquot and Viader out of Napa are about the only two that come to mind). I'm really surprised that more wineries don't make the blend--I wonder if it's because of the nonsensical resistance that continues against merlot as a serious wine grape?

And who would have thought it would match to snapper in a creamy white wine sauce. You just never what will work, sometimes, not until you actually try it.

This pairing sounds very intriguing ... I'll have to keep it in mind.

Recently I enjoyed a WA Cab Franc with a Hungarian Pork Goulash Soup served over egg noodles and garnished with sour cream. I loved this match up.

-- Clark

Sue Wrote:
I asked the question in the Stuart Malan thread- what do you mean by Cab? Do you mean Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, a blend of both, a blend with others? I notice, sometimes, on labels, when both C.Sauv and C. Franc are used, the word 'Cabernet' with no qualification may appear on the label.

Good question Sue. I think for the most part, among causal wine drinkers the term “Cab” means C Sauv. But IMHO the term “Cab” could refer to any member of the C Sauv or C Franc “family” of grapes. For years the Italians, especially in northern Italy have been using the term “Cabernet” to mean either C Sauv or C Franc.
Here on the North Fork of Long Island the winemakers are doing some wonderful things with the C Franc grape and producing some interesting wines. Most of the North Fork wineries are now producing a C Franc or C Franc dominate blend.

Salute

Victor, you seem to know your cab francs!! Maybe an Open Mike is in order here, could be some interest amongst a few of us. Any thoughts??

The following wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot - and after tasting it I have to ask why don't we have more of these Cab Franc dominant blends in New Zealand because it was striking and memorable

Unfortunately the answer is most probably marketing. It is hard to market a Cab Franc dominant blend. Who is the winery targeting with that wine and how big is the market? It is much easier to sell a Merlot or Cab Sauv dominant wine to the causal consumer.

Of lesser importance is to understand that while there are 5 red grapes of Bdx, they do not all thrive in the same conditions. Cab Franc can be very green under less than optimal conditions so if one can grow decent Merlot or Cab Sauv than it is generally prefered as the base of the blend. Cab Franc can add some wonderful complexity especially to the nose but to rely on it as the dominant grape year in and year out could result in a wine that is often harsh or green in the less than optimal years.

From my observations based on eastern US viticulture, Cab Franc seems to be favored where it is difficult to grow Merlot or Cab Sauv of consistent quality. The Cab Franc has better cold hardiness than both CS and Merlot, has better rot resistance than Merlot, resists overcropping better than CS while generally retaining better color. However, the sites that can consistently grow quality Merlot use it as the base for their best wines and we have seen an increase in interest in Petit Verdot on the warmer sites with many wineries using higher percentages of PV and some even bottling it as the dominant grape.

Unfortunately the answer is most probably marketing. It is hard to market a Cab Franc dominant blend. Who is the winery targeting with that wine and how big is the market? It is much easier to sell a Merlot or Cab Sauv dominant wine to the causal consumer.

You could be right there, even though it is more common than Cabernet Sauvignon on the right bank. But then those wines do not have the grapes stated on the label.

Of lesser importance is to understand that while there are 5 red grapes of Bdx, they do not all thrive in the same conditions.

I thought there were six - Cabernet Sauvignon,Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere.
We now have Carmenere growing in New Zealand. DNA testing has shown that an clonal import of Cabernet Franc, from Northern Italy, that proved mighty frustrating to grow, is actually Carmenere. The couple of winegrowers who persevered with the vines, which didn't crop virtually anything for the first five years, are now reaping the rewards of having the lost grape of Bordeaux in their vineyards. Others replaced the masquerading CF with a clone that performed - or something else altogether.

From your experience, in the right year, does Cabernet Franc have the best fragrance of them all?

The following wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot - and after tasting it I have to ask why don't we have more of these Cab Franc dominant blends ...

I saw a few WA vintner produce blends with something close to 50% Cabernet Franc a couple of years ago, and I really loved them. However, these blends seemed to change back to more Cabernet Sauvignon dominant ones pretty quickly. I am aware of one Walla Walla vintner (Basel Cellars) that still seems to be dedicated to producing a Merlot-Cabernet Franc blend. I first tried their 2003 Walla Walla Valley Red Wine and loved its 56%-44% blend. I missed out on tasting their 2004 blend, and noticed their web site now has a renamed blend called 2005 Inspired (62%-38%). They state it is "inspired by the great Chateaus of St Emillion in Bordeaux, France." Here's a link to that wine description: http://www.baselcellars.com/wines.php?id=14 .

-- Clark

I thought there were six - Cabernet Sauvignon,Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere.

I never think to include Carmenere. I grew up learning there were five and that is still the way I think of it. You are probably correct that there are really six. Is there any estate in Bdx that uses Carmenere today?

From your experience, in the right year, does Cabernet Franc have the best fragrance of them all?

I think so but as with all things I guess the answer is that it depends upon ones preferences. My wife really does not like the nose of Franc and picks up on the slightest hint of it. I think that she can count on one hand the number of wines with significant percentage of Franc that she likes.

Brian wrote:
My wife really does not like the nose of Franc and picks up on the slightest hint of it. I think that she can count on one hand the number of wines with significant percentage of Franc that she likes.

This is so true, I know several people who can pick up the nose of C Franc at the drop of a hat. It does have a very distinctive fragrance and nose; heck this is what makes it C Franc. You either like it or you don’t.

Salute

[Jenise]

I never think to include Carmenere. I grew up learning there were five and that is still the way I think of it. You are probably correct that there are really six. Is there any estate in Bdx that uses Carmenere today?

I know the question wasn't directed to me, but I've wondered about this and have been unable to find any. That said, I know the vines that Larry Colvin planted here in Washington were obtained from France. Makes one wonder if it's one of those stealth grapes that some use but nobody admits to, like the well known California pinot maker who is reputed to buy petite sirah grapes every year even though he only makes pinot.