Wines made from Cabernet franc grapes of North Carolina
Discover the best wines made with Cabernet franc as a single variety or as a blend of North Carolina.
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.
North Carolina is a state located on the east coast of the United States, between the Appalachian Mountains to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The state's transitional Climate is well suited to growing grapes for wine production, and the state has a Long and illustrious wine-making history. North Carolina's finest wines are made from Vitis vinifera grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Riesling. However, muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) are native to the region.
At 8.23 metres tall (27ft), a three-sided pyramid made from 54,740 Champagne coupes has officially set a new Guinness World Record for the ‘largest drinking glass pyramid’. A specialist team spent five days between Christmas and New Year delicately constructing the wine glass tower at luxury Dubai resort Atlantis, The Palm, which announced the news. It said the attempt was co-organised by Moët & Chandon, as part of Champagne house’s ‘Effervescence’ event series. Guinness Wo ...
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 ...
Not so long ago, most Hermitage was a blend of different vineyards from across the hill. However, since the 1990s we’ve seen an increasing range of single-vineyard wines being made. Getting a handle on the most important sites will help guide you to a style you enjoy, and even if you prefer blended wines, becoming familiar with the individual Hermitage lieux-dits will enrich your drinking experience. Scroll down to see Matt Walls’ tasting notes and scores for seven wines from Hermitage lie ...