Wines made from Cabernet franc grapes of Vaud
Discover the best wines made with Cabernet franc as a single variety or as a blend of Vaud.
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.
Vaud is Switzerland's second-largest wine region, located in the French-speaking southwest. The region - which is also one of 26 cantons in the country - is best known for its crisp, white Fendant wines (the national name for the Chasselas variety) and its stunning lakeside landscapes. Both of these reach their zenith in the grand crus of Lavaux/dezaley">Dezaley and Calamin. These famous Lavaux Vineyard terraces, which rise steeply up above Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), are considered of such importance that they are now enjoy protected status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.