Wine Grapes,Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sirah, Verdot. Paso Robles, CA

Solana Farms Cabernet Franc

Solana Farms grafted over Cabernet Sauvignon 5BB rootstock with Cabernet Franc in 2005. Additional grafting and replanting were required in subsequent years to complete the 5 ac block on 11’ by 6’ spacing. These grapes are growing in Pliocene and Pleistocene sandstone, shale and gravel sourced soils and drip irrigated from a 665’ well drawing water from the Paso Robles groundwater basin. These east facing grapes ripen slightly earlier than the other varietals in the vineyard and produce a thin skinned lighter colored grape which ages well as a blend or a stand alone varietal wine.

Recent (1997) DNA fingerprinting has determined that Cabernet Franc, along with Sauvignon Blanc, is the genetic parent of the Cabernet Sauvignon cultivar. In France, this grape is synonymous with the name of Bouchy, Gros Bouchet, Breton, Carmenet, Grosse Vidure and Veron and is cultivated on more than 35,000 acres. It is often blended, up to 15%, with other ‘Nobel’ grapes to create a Bordeaux blend.

The Cabernet Franc Grape is usually thinner-skinned and may ripen earlier than other cultivars. It generally contains a lower overall acidity than Cabernet Sauvignon and is lighter in both tannins and color. Cabernet Franc is less deeply pigmented and has aromas reminiscent of violets, spice, plums, raspberry and strawberry. Younger Cabernet Franc varietal wines have an herbal, bell pepper and stem aroma. These qualities are often used to mitigate some of the hard and unpleasant qualities of younger Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

Cabernet Franc grapes have been grown in vineyards from Rumania, Hungary and the Balkans to Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. Cab Franc in the US has been grown from Long Island to Washington State with California having in excess of 3,600 acres planted (2006 USDA report). There are over 113 North American appellations producing Cabernet Franc wines.