A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc 🍷

Image from Wikimedia Commons (Ursula Brühl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI),

Cabernet Franc (often referred to as Cab Franc) is a lesser know grape, but it’s actually the parent grape for both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon!

Nearly two-thirds of Cabernet Franc is grown in France, but Italy and the U.S. now have significant plantings.

Most famously, Cabernet Franc is used as the “third grape” in many Bordeaux blends.

While the Cabernet Franc grown in France tends to produce wines with lighter color, lighter body and higher acidity, Italy produces richer fruit flavors. The Sierra Foothills of northern California are producing fruit-forward, almost jammy wines with lower acidity.

Cabernet Franc’s adaptability and aromatic complexity make it both a standalone variety and a great blending component.

Generally, Cabernet Franc is medium-bodied, higher in acidity, and has softer tannins. Flavors attributed to Cabernet Franc include Raspberry, strawberry, red cherry and bell pepper.

The bell pepper notes come from methoxypyrazines in the grapes themselves, which are chemical compounds also found in green peppers. These chemical compounds are extracted from the grape skins during fermentation and maceration.

Serve a Cabernet Franc wine in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F after decanting for 30 minutes.

Behind the Cork™ - Montes Alpha Carmenere

2022 Montes Alpha Carmenère ($24.99)

Montes — officially Viña Montes — was founded in 1987 by four partners with extensive experience in winemaking and viticulture: Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre, and Pedro Grand. Their founding goal was bold and transformative: to craft premium-quality wines at a time when Chile was largely known for high-volume, inexpensive wine production rather than world-class bottles.

Montes didn’t just make great wine — it rewrote the story of Chilean viticulture. By insisting on premium quality, exploring new terroirs, innovating in both vineyard and cellar practices, and maintaining a deeply Chilean identity without reliance on foreign investment, Montes helped elevate the reputation of an entire nation’s wine industry.

This Montes Alpha Carmenère is produced from 90% Carmenère and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon that were macerated for 5 days after which selected yeasts were added and fermentation lasted 7-10 days. It then underwent malolactic conversion. Some of the wine was then transferred to French oak barrels where it aged for 12 months while the remaining wine was transferred to concrete tanks.

Montes Alpha Carmenère is deep ruby red in color with delicate aromas of both red and black fruit. On the palate this wine is full-bodied with rich flavors of blackberry, blueberry, fig and plums. Its tannins and acidity are well balanced. This wine finishes spicy with a hint of chocolate from its oak aging.

This 2022 Montes Alpha Carmenère is an excellent example of the wines coming out of Chile. It’s great tasting and a super value. A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Montes Winery via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Barbera

Barbera 🍷

Image by Giorgio Gallesiol on Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Barbera (Bar-BEAR-ah) is thought to have originated in the hills of central Piemonte (“peh-ah-MON-tey”) Italy, where it has been known from the 13th century. That’s significantly earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon that has only been around since the 17th century.

It is Italy’s third most grown grape behind Sangiovese (most notably known as the grape in Chianti) and Nebbiolo. In Italy, it’s known to produce inexpensive table wine that is enjoyed regularly with meals.

In California, the Barbera grape has also been used predominately in the past for production of mass-produced jug wines. So, it's no surprise that Barbera has gotten a bad reputation.

But, that's changed. Regions throughout California are now producing some very nice Barbera wines, especially the Sierra Foothills, Amador County, Shenandoah Valley and El Dorado Counties in northern California.

And, starting in the 1980s the quality of Barbera began to significantly improve in Italy. It started being planted in better sites, yields were limited for quality as opposed to quantity and more attention was given to aging in better barrels. This took Barbera from a common light-bodied wine to something more special with greater flavor and character.

Barbera is typically a medium-bodied wine with lighter tannins and higher acidity. Barbera wines are best known for flavors of sour cherry, blackberry, herbs and black pepper.

It is usually enjoyed young (two to four years after harvest) and should be served in a red wine glass at 60-68 °F.

The lightest versions of Barbera are generally not recommended for cellaring.

Behind the Cork™ - St. Francis Pinot Noir

2023 St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir ($25.99)

The fruit for this wine was sourced from multiple vineyards in the Sonoma Coast region.

This Pinot was fermented using a combination of techniques, fusing both old and new world styles of Pinot Noir winemaking. Each vineyard lot of 100% Pinot Noir underwent a 14-day fermentation, with an extended maceration for up to 30 more days to allow flavor and texture to harmonize. The wine was then racked off into French oak barrels, where it underwent malolactic conversion, before it was blended and bottled.

St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir is medium ruby in color with aromas of red berries including raspberry. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has the classic Pinot Noir flavors of tart cherry and cranberry, medium tannin and medium acidity. It finishes light with just a touch of tartness.

This 2023 St. Francis Sonoma County Pinot Noir is an excellent example of the Pinots produced in Sonoma County yet at a fraction of the cost. This is great tasting and a super value. A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by St. Francis Winery via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Aglianico

Image from Alexis Kreyder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Aglianico 🍷

Aglianico (ahl-YAH-nee-koh) is a red wine grape that is thought to be native to southern Italy. Originally, it was thought that Aglianico was from Greece. Its name is actually a derivation of the word "Hellenic" meaning Greek. But, recent DNA studies, as well as etymological and historical research, suggest this grape is native to southern Italy.

Campania's Taurasi and Basilicata's Aglianico del Vulture in Italy are two of the best known appellations that grow this variety.

Aglianico is unusual in that it ripens extremely late—sometimes not until late October or even November.

Wines made from the Aglianico grape are a deep ruby-purple color when young. They have flavors that include black cherry, blackberry and plum with aromas of leather, smoke and tobacco.

Aglianico are full-bodied, high in tannin, high in acidity, and have very low sweetness.

These wines can be aged 10 to 20-plus years.

Young Aglianico wines (0-5 years) should be decanted for as much as 2-4 hours, a mid-aged wine (5-10 years) for 1-2 hours and a 10-15 year old wine for 30 to 60 minutes.