Francly speaking

An unheralded varietal comes into its own

by David Marglin

UNCORKED

In the world of red grapes, cabernet franc has long been a lesser cousin of other Bordeaux varieties, such as cabernet sauvignon and merlot. But that image is changing fast.

Recently, I was lucky enough to drink one of the world's greatest Bordeaux, the 1982 Cheval Blanc, which consists of two-thirds cab franc and one-third merlot. A five-star, $500 bottle of wine, it was lush and lascivious. My mouth reveled in the warm, soft fruit; my tongue delighted in the wine's delicacy. There was a hint of smoke on the finish, like Dad's pipe, and I was reminded of kissing my sister's au pair when I was 16 on a warm, mossy bank in Maine. That is the magic of cab franc in action.

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In California, cab franc is no longer thought of as a blending wine, which is how it has traditionally been used in France. Like malbec in Argentina, it has been rescued from obscurity and is finally being asked to stand on its own. In California, the winemakers are seeing it as the next merlot. At the Napa Valley Vintners' Auction, a special case of cab franc made by the vaunted Harlan Estate sold for $5000. Now, I know that money went to charity, but $400 a bottle is $400 a bottle.

Apart from Cheval Blanc, the French wines that best display the characteristics of the grape are reds from the Loire Valley, such as Chinon and Bourgeuil. Both 1996 and 1997 were excellent years in the Loire, and these grassy, smoky wines have lots of black-currant and blackberry flavors. Many California wineries are trying to emulate this style, but it is difficult, because it requires a cooler, if not damper, climate akin to that of the Loire. To date, the most notable examples of Loire-esque wines are Jarvis (available only in certain restaurants), which is grown on the eastern hills above the town of Napa; Pride; and the soon-to-be available Savannah-Chanel, which may be the best American cab franc I have ever tasted. Both these wines are subtle and supple, but with strong undercurrents of flavor. Although that Cheval Blanc I tried had some bite, what made it memorable was its softness. Loire cab francs, and most American versions, have a lot of fresh fruit and are what I would call lighter wines. Many cab francs could pair nicely with fish (except maybe delicate white fish) and any sort of chicken dish.

Few cab francs are heavily oaked, which may be one of the reasons the varietal is getting so much attention these days. (In general, the wine pendulum is starting to swing away from the massive amounts of oak, especially new oak, used in New World-style wines during the past few years.) Cab franc is relatively delicate, so vintners tend to be sparing and judicious with the kind of wood they select for the casks. The Chinons and Bourgeuils I tried have a lot of body, but they are also somewhat tart, as though the grapes had not quite fully ripened. In California and Washington, where the weather is so sunny for such a long period, the wines lose a bit of this zip, but they make up for it with complex flavors ranging from nuts to berries to spices and ginger. Which wine you'll want depends, as usual, on your taste and the occasion -- if you want a sipping wine, maybe a California or Washington will serve you better, whereas if you need something to stand up to some bold food, you may want to pop open a Loire wine.

Now that the word is out, expect to see a handful of cab francs on many wine lists, and a selection of a dozen or more in your local wine store. The only sad thing is that these once-overlooked wines are now starting to command higher prices -- a lot of the best ones I tried sell for around $20 per bottle. Still, if your mouth wants to learn a new wine language, cabernet franc has a big vocabulary of flavors, well-articulated and worth a listen.

**¹/₂ 1996 Ironstone Vineyards Sierra Foothills ($9.99, Marty's). A very well-made wine considering the price, this has less complexity, but it sure goes down smooth. Soft fruit, elegance, and a light nuttiness. Your friends will say it's like butter.

*** 1996 Bouegeuil Les Cet Boisselees Loire Valley ($14.99, Bauer). Wowza. Popping with fruit, really jazzy, with sour cherry and a long, smooth finish -- a stupendous value. You'll want to bring this with you on a spring picnic. Finger-lickin' good with chicken.

*** 1997 Chinon Charles Joguet Jeunes Vignes ($14.99, Martignetti's). A young monster, this brash wine has lots of wild cherry, pepper, and bright racy flavors. Hold.

*** 1994 David Lake Signature Series (Columbia Winery, Washington) ($21.99, Bauer). A bright and witty wine, still bursting with soft fruit five years out. Blended with 20 percent merlot, which provides a spectacular roundness in the mouth, it's made by the only American winemaker to attain the coveted status of Master of Wine. A diamond worth looking for -- and it will shine for years.

*** 1996 Merryvale Napa Valley ($25.99, Bauer). A big, oaky wine (14.5 percent alcohol) with a lot of vanilla and plenty of plump, plummy fruit. It needs time in the bottle, or plenty of air on opening, but it is a big, complex wine, reminiscent of the Cheval Blanc. It works now, but as it softens, complexities -- such as tobacco -- will emerge. This is wine for the brave.

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We're having another Uncorked tasting. This time, it's at Laurel (142 Berkeley Street, Boston), and promises to be . . . well, if not bigger and better, then at least our third. The cost is again $1, a paltry sum for good food, great wine, and David's famous speech. Drop by between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6, but call (617) 450-8615 to sign up: space will be limited.

David Marglin can be reached at wine[a]phx.com.

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