Cabernet Franc is best known as a team player. With its seductive aroma of black currants, it is treasured for its ability to add perfume to its companion varieties.
It’s another of the classic Bordeaux varieties and was long suspected to be related to Cabernet Sauvignon because the two varieties have so much in common. These suspicions were well founded and recent DNA typing shows that Cabernet Franc is the proud parent, along with Sauvignon Blanc, of the noble Cabernet Sauvignon. Like Petit Verdot and Malbec, many winemakers view it as a voice in the chorus rather than a dominant variety, but you can find some stunning exceptions, for instance the famous Chateau Cheval Blanc is typically about 2/3 Cabernet Franc. And, in the Loire Valley (which grows almost ½ of the Cabernet Franc in all of France) it’s the major player in the wine known as Chinon – a lovely, bright, early-maturing red wine.
Cabernet Franc is thin-skinned compared to Cabernet Sauvignon and tends to produce wine that’s lighter in color and body and lower in tannin, so the wine matures more quickly. It makes a generously fruity wine with a fragrance that might remind you of plums and violets with just a hint of spice.
The soft tannins make this an easy red to pair with food. Try it with any sort of roasted or grilled game birds; it’s delicious with lamb and pork or veal dishes. Cabernet Franc is an excellent partner for a selection of medium-hard to hard cheeses like Gruyere or Parmigiano Reggiano.
Join Goosecross Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she continues her series on the major wine varietals.
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They say that if Cabernet Sauvignon is the thinking man’s wine, Pinot Noir is pure pleasure. But, it’s viewed as a problem child in both the vineyard and the winery, and perhaps the only reason it’s survived over the centuries is that when it comes together just right, it makes some of the silkiest, most sensual of wines.
This is perhaps the oldest variety we know and researchers believe it’s probably a selection from wild vines made by the Romans perhaps as long as 2000 years ago. It appears that Pinot Noir was called Morillon Noir in the Burgundy region of France in the 4th century AD, and by the 14th century it was still known by several names, including Pinot Noir. It was grown in different parts of France, but the Burgundy region made it famous and it was and is a key player in the Champagne region.
This is an early-maturing variety that needs to ripen slowly, which explains why it found a happy home in Burgundy and Champagne. It grows all over eastern France and you can also find it in Germany, Switzerland and parts of northern Italy. Pinot Noir from the new world didn’t make much of an impression until relatively recently. Here in California, for the most part, it made dull, light-bodied red wine until about the 1980s when we began to get smart about clones and where to plant it. The breezy marine influence of the Carneros region is our home for Pinot in the Napa Valley and it does very well in other cool spots in California, notably the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Santa Maria and Santa Rita Hills AVA. Oregon came on strong about the same time we geared up here in California and there’s a lot of excitement about the Pinot coming out of New Zealand.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, talks about the great red grape of Burgundy: Pinot Noir.
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Sangiovese is the great red grape not only of Tuscany, but of Italy. It’s easily the most widely planted variety in the country (and there are a lot of them!), taking up almost 10% of the vine acreage. But Tuscany is the place that made it famous. It has always been the heart of Chianti wine and is often the only variety used in the concentrated, sought after Brunello di Montalcino, grown just south of the Chianti Classico region.
The name Sangiovese, which translates as “blood of Jove”, suggests it’s quite ancient and researchers believe that it may have been cultivated by the Etruscans before the Romans overtook them. The DNA suggests it has one parent in Tuscany and that its other parent, an obscure grape that’s not even registered, is from southern Italy.
It’s slow to ripen, often lingering into October and if the grapes don’t fully mature the wine will be hard and angular with high acid and tannin, so it’s meant for warm climates. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a thick skin like the late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, so it’s far less rot resistant and is better planted in a situation where the winter rains don’t begin too early. That makes it a perfect candidate for sunny Napa Valley and other parts of California and it has done quite well in Argentina. Modern-day aging in small cooperage does a lot to soften the wine too, which is standard procedure here in California and has become increasingly common in Tuscany.
Join Goosecross Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she continues her series on the major wine varietals with Sangiovese.
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Merlot is a bit of an orphan. We’re reasonably certain that one of its parents is Cabernet Franc, which might begin to explain why Cabernet Sauvignon (parents are Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc), Cabernet Franc and Merlot are so compatible, but the other parent is an unknown. Merlot has a thin skin compared to Cabernet Sauvignon which is probably why it’s often a little lighter in color and easier to drink when it’s young. The greatest source of the astringent tannins in wine is the grape skins.
Along with black fruit, Merlot often shows a touch more red fruit and herb-like character than Cabernet. The vegetative character is accentuated when it grows in a cold climate and less noticeable in a warm region. As a partner to highly-structured Cabernet Sauvignon it’s a natural, with softer tannins and plump, accessible fruit.
Aside from making the most expensive wine in the Bordeaux region, Chateau Petrus, you can find well-made examples of Merlot from virtually anywhere in the world. It’s an adaptable variety that’s equally versatile at the table because of the gentle tannins. Merlot with lamb is a classic combination, especially when the lamb is roasted with the traditional garlic and rosemary, which bring out the hint of herbs in the wine. The rich Merlot fruit is also a wonderful partner for the sweetness of roast duck or pork. It’s delicious with slow-cooked dishes like Coq au Vin and a great partner for dry, aged cheeses like aged Asiago or aged Cheddar.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, covers Malbec in her continuing series on the major wine grape varieties.
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Petit Verdot isn’t the first variety on everyone’s lips, probably because it’s hardly ever the star of the show. It’s nearly always blended with other Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
It’s thought to be native to western Bordeaux, and was probably a presence long before Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s been on the decline there, primarily, because it ripens even later than Cabernet and is a risky variety in a cool climate, but the best producers find it worth the risk. Here in the sunny Napa Valley, there’s no difficulty achieving ripeness most years and the acreage has been on the increase. The acreage in Australia is also growing as it gains in popularity there. From a grower’s perspective, the tendency to ripen late is offset by its tough-skinned rot resistance when it starts to rain.
Petit Verdot wine is typically deeply colored and concentrated with lots of black fruit, a hint of violet, and almost Syrah-like spiciness. But, it’s rarely seen as a varietal perhaps because, even though it can make a substantial, impressive wine, it can also lack finesse. When fully ripe, it helps to bring up the alcohol which is beneficial to cold climate producers.
Join our Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she talks about the blending grape of Bordeaux: Petit Verdot.
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The word temprano translates from Spanish as early and Tempranillo has earned its name as an early-ripening grape that’s the backbone of most of the best known wines in all of Spain. In fact, it’s grown in virtually every wine region in the country.
Tempranillo is a team player and marries very well with a number of varieties. In Spain it’s often blended with Grenache, which they call Garnacha, and Carignane, which they call Cariñena or Mazuelo. In recent years it’s become fashionable to blend Tempranillo with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in some parts of Spain. It’s also a key blending variety, known as Tinta Roriz, in the production of Port Wine. It becomes confusing because it has numerous pseudonyms, depending upon where it’s grown. Recently, for instance, DNA fingerprinting has shown that the variety we call Valdepeñas, which has been used to make every-day wine in the San Joaquin Valley of California, is the same as Tempranillo.
It’s a generous variety, capable of producing some impressive yields (which explains why it’s used for bulk-wine production). But, as you might suspect, color and fruit character are compromised, along with acidity as the yields go up, an important consideration especially here in sunny California. It has a thick skin, so when it’s properly managed it can make some deeply colored, very flavorful and long-lasting red wine. As an early ripener that’s prone to lose acidity, it shows best when it comes from a relatively cool climate, for instance here in the Napa Valley, it does very well in the marine influence of the Carneros region. It’s a bit of a chameleon that seems to morph with its environment and wine-making techniques, but it’s most often described as strawberry-like with a bit of earth, leather and spice, maybe slightly herbaceous.
Join our Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she talks about the great red grape of Spain: Tempranillo.
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Many of us have called Zinfandel the California grape perhaps because, as far as we knew, it was only produced here and we couldn’t find its European counterpart. But, even so, we knew that it was unlikely to be native to America because it doesn’t have the appearance or growing habits of the native varieties. University of California at Davis did exhaustive research in cooperation with the University of Zagreb, and by now we’re quite certain that Zinfandel has its roots in Croatia and is the same as the Croatian variety Crljenak Kastenlanski. From Croatia it traveled to Puglia, in southern Italy where it’s called Primitivo, and to the US where we know it as Zinfandel. By now, Zin is planted in other states and in other parts of the world, but we still think of it as our special variety, if not our native son.
Zin is remarkably versatile at the table, perhaps because of the low tannins. It pairs well with a wide range of grilled foods from Ahi tuna to grilled tri-tip. It works well with tomato-based dishes, which is probably where it got its reputation as a pizza wine but that also translates to pasta dishes and preparations like chicken cacciatore. Medium-hard to hard cheeses are good partners for Zin. You can find delicious recipes to pair with Zinfandel or any other variety if you go to Colleen’s Kitchen.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, continues her podcasts about major grape varieties with Zinfandel.
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Honeyed fruit and flowers, with a hint of hay, Chenin Blanc leads a double life. Is it a bland work-horse blender? Is it a fragrant and ethereal treat? Through no fault of its own, there really is very little predictability for this wonderful variety.
In its home in the Loire Valley of France, where it’s often called Pineau del la Loire, it’s a variety that’s cherished for those delicate aromatics and flavors and also for its remarkable versatility. It makes everything from a delicate dry white, to slightly sweet, to sparkling wine and even exquisite late-harvest wines.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, covers Chenin Blanc in her continuing series on the major wine grape varieties.
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So fruity, so supple, so elegant when it’s at its best. Our poor friend Merlot has taken a beating recently because of the movie Sideways, but you might be surprised to know that it’s the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux. And Chateau Petrus, the most expensive wine of the Bordeaux region is, you guessed it, Merlot.
I know that when you think Bordeaux you think Cabernet, and it’s a major player, but Merlot trumps it in volume for a couple of reasons. One is its velvety deliciousness, and the other is more practical. It’s an early ripener, relative to Cabernet, so it’s less likely to be damaged by rain, plus it tends to produce greater yields. It’s kind of like hiring a reliable employee. You know it will be there for you!
Join Goosecross Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she continues her series on the major wine varietals.
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Well, it’s hard to pronounce, but worth it! Exotically fragrant, heady, tropical and lush.
Viognier is a very ancient variety going back to at least Roman times and comes to us from the Rhone Valley in southern France. It makes some of the most distinctively aromatic wines in the world. The peach, honey and floral aromas might lead you to expect a delicate wine, but it’s also famous for being rather voluptuous on the palate and generous in alcohol.
Join our Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she talks about the queen of Rhone whites: Viognier.
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Deep, dark fruit with a little earth, smoke and a meaty quality. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Syrah comes to us from the Rhone Valley of southern France. It’s one of the oldest varieties we know. Just think, Julius Caesar may well have enjoyed a glass of Syrah just as much as we do today.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, continues her podcast series on the major wine grape varietals with Syrah.
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Fresh, zingy, herbaceous and citrusy. Makes me want to throw some fish on the grill.
Sauvignon Blanc gained its fame in the Loire valley of France from the beautiful Blanc Fume, Pouilly Fume and Sancerre, but it was probably born in the Bordeaux region where it plays second fiddle to Semillon as the most planted white.
In this episode, Director of Education Nancy Hawks Miller focuses on Sauvignon Blanc.
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We all know that Cabernet Sauvignon is the undisputed King of grapes. A serious collector’s cellar will always include great Cabernets, whether they’re from the Medoc, Napa Valley or Coonawara. And it’s probably because it is capable of making a wine of tremendous power, structure and complexity, but it somehow manages to carry this off in a very elegant way. What a wine! You’ll find plenty of examples of 100% Cabernet, but more often it’s blended.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, continues her podcast series of the major wine varietals with Bordeaux’s–and Napa Valley’s–signature red grape.
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Fresh apple, pear and citrus–crisp with maybe some minerality? Or big, round, buttery and oaky? What goes on here? What is Chardonnay’s true identity? It seems to be all of the above. It’s quite a malleable variety that some say has little varietal distinction to call its own, yet it’s a beautiful showcase for terroir and also for the winemaker’s bag of tricks.
Join Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, for the first in a series of podcasts covering the major wine varietals.
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