Wines made from Cabernet franc grapes of Rhode Island
Discover the best wines made with Cabernet franc as a single variety or as a blend of Rhode Island.
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.
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States, with an area of 3,140 square miles in the far Northeast of the country. Cool Climate vinifera and Hybrid grapes are grown in this sea-influenced state, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Vidal. Rhode Island has only one AVA (not surprising, given that nearly 30 AVAs are larger than the entire state) - the fairly general southeastern NewEngland region, which it shares with Massachusetts and Connecticut. There are approximately 11 wineries located throughout the state.