Wines made from Cabernet franc grapes of Castille-et-Léon
Discover the best wines made with Cabernet franc as a single variety or as a blend of Castille-et-Léon.
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.
Located in the northern half of the Central Iberian plateau, Castilla y León is the largest of Spain's 17 administrative regions, covering about one-fifth of the country's total area. It extends about 350 kilometres (220 miles) from central Spain to the northern coast. Just as wide, it connects the Rioja wine region to the Portuguese border. Red wines reign supreme in Castilla y León, and the Tempranillo grape is undoubtedly the king.
This is a very fine vintage for St-Joseph, with excellent red and white wines to be found along the length of the appellation. Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top scoring St-Joseph 2020 wines {"content":"PHA+VGhlcmUgYXJlIG1hbnkgZXhjZXB0aW9uYWwgd2luZXMgZnJvbSBzbWFsbCBidXQgb3V0c3RhbmRpbmcgZ3Jhbml0ZSB0ZXJyb2lycyB0byBiZSBmb3VuZCBmb3IgbGVzcyB0aGFuIMKjNDAgcGVyIGJvdHRsZS48L3A+CjxwPjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImFkLWNvbnRhaW5lciBhZC1jb250YWluZXItLW1vYmlsZSI+PGRpdiBpZD0icG9zdC1pbmxpbmUt ...
For those unfamiliar with the Vino de Pago qualification, it was created in Spain in 2003 to certify singular estates (pagos) as Protected Denominations of Origin. While not a requisite, it’s generally implemented by individual wineries looking to gain protected status for a single vineyard site within their domain. This is the case for Abadía Retuerta which is an estate of 700ha, of which 180ha is planted to vine. While located within the Duero Valley, the site resides within the borders of Sar ...
If a good Cognac isn’t just for Christmas, it isn’t only for after-dinner sipping either. A top-quality VS or VSOP is also an excellent base for a refreshing aperitif or a palate-sharpening cocktail. You can keep it simple with ice and tonic, dial up the flavour with ginger ale – or move into more sophisticated territory by mixing a zesty Sidecar or twisted Manhattan. Hell, if you’re feeling flush, use an XO to create hedonistically rich and decadent Vieux Carré. Whether you’re buying for a love ...