Cabernet Franc has always been a wine geek's wine. For years, wine hunters have searched out this ancient grape in all its forms. An essential component in Bordeaux, especially on the right bank, a single varietal in the Loire Valley, in Chinon, and Anjou is also found in Northern Italy's Friuli and Veneto regions. In fact, it can be found anywhere that Bordeaux style blends are popular, Bolgheri Italy, Napa and Sonoma, and elsewhere. Because it ripens two weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, you can find many great examples of Cabernet Franc in cooler climates, Washington State, the Finger Lakes in New York, and even here in New England.

Not all Cabernet Franc tastes the same, and the style depends on where it is grown. Cabernet Franc in cool regions are generally quite aromatic, with notes of red berry and cherry, as well as varying degrees of herbal, floral, pepper, and cigar spice. In warmer regions, Cabernet Franc wines can show almost-sweet dark plum and lush blueberry flavors, herbaceous and tobacco nuances, along with firm tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon is the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, and the vines and leaves of the two wines look very similar. But the Cab Franc tends to be lighter in tannins and color but still full of flavor.

Chile has no indigenous grapes of its own, so in its infancy, winemakers needed to import vine cuttings, and Bordeaux cuttings were the grapes of choice. Thus the most popular red varietal wines in Chile are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Carmenere. Included in those Bordeaux cutting selections was Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc is reasonably widespread in Chile, with pockets of plantings in the coastal regions. Still, the vast majority is found in the Entre Cordilleras and Andes regions, notably in Maule, Curicó, Colchagua, and Maipo. It is often made into rich, red Bordeaux-style blends; however, you'll find a handful of excellent Chilean varietal Cabernet Franc. While Cabernet Sauvignon has more mass market appeal, it does not deter the arduous Cab Franc hunter. Cabernet Franc is the fourth most planted red grape in Chile.

In 1988 the Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) of Bordeaux chose to expand their estate to the South, becoming the first French viticultural investment in modern Chile. The Rothschilds created Los Vascos Cromas Cabernet Franc Gran Reserva following a three-year-long study of the local terroir. They planted their first plot of Cabernet Franc in 2013 to create a super-premium single-varietal wine. The granite hillsides of Santa Lucia didn't disappoint, and this wine became a delicious reality. Virtually none of the problems that have plagued Bordeaux winemakers exist in Chile. The vineyards are located in the high foothills of coastal mountains, which are above the altitude where pests and diseases can live. These vineyards are in out-of-the-way areas far from air and water pollution. Daily on-shore winds provide temperature changes between 68°F and 77°F for optimum maturation of the grapes.

This grape variety calls for a very soft handling in the winery, with extreme caution and patience required during the extraction and maceration phases. Grapes are fermented in small stainless steel tanks; various plots are vinified separately. The wines are aged 80% in oak barrels and 20% in concrete tanks.

Beautiful, elegant, and crystalline ruby red color. Red fruit-scented nose of ripe raspberries and fresh strawberries with the signature herbal and floral aromas of this variety. Rounding up this complexity are notes of orange peel and graphite, both of them elegant and subtle contributions from the barrel. On the palate, this interesting medium-bodied wine offers a smooth attack, marked by an intense and refreshing acidity. It's firm yet pleasant tannins open for a persistent finish.

A fresh and crisp expression of the variety, this begins with notes of tobacco and spices but then offers aromas and flavors of ripe red fruits. The tannins (as the variety's DNA indicates) are firm and sharp, and the fruity notes continue to mix with the tobacco tones. A delicious discovery for those who are not yet familiar with the variety, this comes from 13-year-old vineyards planted at the Los Vascos estate in Peralillo, in the Colchagua Valley. 65% of the total volume was aged for 12 months in barrels, and the rest remained in stainless steel. James Suckling 92 pts

A fresh and crisp expression of the variety, this begins with notes of tobacco and spices but then offers aromas and flavors of ripe red fruits. The tannins (as the variety's DNA indicates) are firm and sharp, and the fruity notes continue to mix with the tobacco tones. A delicious discovery for those who are not yet familiar with the variety, this comes from 13-year-old vineyards planted at the Los Vascos estate in Peralillo, in the Colchagua Valley. 65% of the total volume was aged for 12 months in barrels, and the rest remained in stainless steel. Patricio Tapia Decorchados 92 pts

Subtle grass, berry, bell pepper, and cumin aromas form the nose of this well-structured red. This wine is fresh for a dry and hot vintage. It has a smooth and spicy palate, with good acidity backing fruit flavors of plum and blackberry. Notes of tobacco linger in the finish. Wine Enthusiast 90 pts

Los Vascos "Cromas" Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc 2020

When tasting this wine, the conversation came up about how customers continue to look for wine made from good affordable Cabernet Franc. So we were very excited to taste this wine. Aromas of black cherry and kirsch. Medium-bodied with fine clingy tannins with good viscosity. Adjectives offered by the group in no apparent order were caramelized onions, toffee, black potato chips, plum, tobacco, and spice. With time the wine gained more weight and voluptuous fruit. We agreed this wine had a lot of flavors going on but was very focused, like a freight train coming at you. A fabulous example of a softer Cabernet Franc not as vegetal and hard as some can be. The bottom line is we all loved this wine and will be recommending it to all our Cabernet Franc hunters. If you do not belong to the Cab Franc lovers camp, now is the time to join. Compare this wine to other Cabernet Franc of any worth, and for under $20, it is a genuine bargain.

Regular Price: $24.99

*Sale Price is on 6 or more bottles

Wine is packed in a 12-bottle case

*Wine pricing for these wine promotions are held for two weeks after the email offer.

We can hold wines in unpaid reserves for two weeks to allow you time to pick up your wine. If it takes you longer than that to pick up your wines, give us a call, and we can process your wine and move it to paid reserves.

Orders must be done by replying to this email. The reason is that I need to keep control of the inventory in one central spot. Emailing or calling your favorite wine geek at one of our four stores may not get your orders in on time to be counted or processed and this creates a helter-skelter for us to get you the wine. For the same reason, ordering on our online Web Store is linked to our regular price, and this sale price is only offered on the email platform. It is also why it takes me some time to respond due to the deluge of orders that I sometimes get. We haven't reached the efficiency or volume of Amazon yet, and in this post-pandemic environment, simple operations sometimes prove difficult. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Attleboro

628 Washington St.

Norwood

942 Providence Hgwy.

Sturbridge

376 Main Street.

Swansea

207 Swansea Mall Dr.

Monday-Saturday

9AM to 9PM