Wines made from Cabernet franc grapes of Peloponnesos
Discover the best wines made with Cabernet franc as a single variety or as a blend of Peloponnesos.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
The Peloponnese Peninsula (Peloponnesus) is a large landform on the southern edge of continental Greece. Covered in mountains, rugged plateaus and valleys, the area has an abundance of mesoClimates and terroirs suitable for premium viticulture. Native Grape varieties such as Agiorgitiko, Moschofilero and Mavrodaphne are planted throughout the peninsula. They produce everything from fresh, minerally white wines to Rich, ageworthy reds.
Severe frost in early April wreaked havoc across both the northern and southern appellations of the Rhône Valley in 2021, with many producers losing a large majority of their crop. The reds that did materialise tend towards lean, green flavours, because grapes struggled to ripen. A few producers struck lucky, with late-budding varieties or pockets of vineyard less affected by frost. But overall, it is the whites that really shine, showing freshness, precision and longevity. St-Joseph, Vacqueyras ...
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Today, working alongside Seillan, second-generation Chris Jackson and assistant winemaker Hélène Seillan (daughter of Pierre) continue the vision of the estate, and the new winery is part of the evolution. Like the wines, design elements pull from both France and the surrounding natural area. Nicolas Seillan (son of Pierre and brother of Hélène) is credited as the architectural creative for the project. He counts the Abbaye de Moissac in southern France as inspiration, particularly its concept o ...