Blended into the Background For decades, Cabernet Franc has played a background role in the British Columbia (BC) wine landscape. Although it has quietly added elegance, finesse and aromatics to many red blends, it’s been seen as a useful but unglamorous partner to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc on its own hasn’t had any cachet. Why has it taken so long for Cabernet Franc to get the attention it deserves? Because when the BC wine industry was finding its groove, Cabernet Franc was not in vogue. In the early 2000s, the budding BC wine industry was searching for international wines it could emulate and techniques it could learn from. Outside of the lighter Loire Valley reds, BC producers had few role models for Cabernet Franc. They turned instead to better-known Napa Cabernet, Bordeaux and Burgundy. Cabernet Franc was therefore overlooked, and BC wineries missed staking an early claim as one of the world’s top regions for the grape.
Bordertown Cabernet Franc BC VQA $22.99 237266 Fresh and elegant, this Cabernet Franc has medium body and tannins, crunchy red berries with floral notes and a juicy freshness through the long finish.
Bartier Bros. Cabernet Franc BC VQA $29.99 993139 This is a floral and aromatic wine with violet, blueberry, red cherry, red plum and dried sage notes. The palate is medium-bodied and juicy, with crisp acidity and light silky tannins.
Poplar Grove Cabernet Franc BC VQA $38.99 449408 This bold Cabernet Franc shows ripe black plum, black cherry and floral aromas with dried sagebrush, mint, espresso, toasty oak and redcurrant on a full-bodied palate.
“BC is well poised to become a Cabernet Franc superstar.”
A “Franc-ly” Positive Future The Loire Valley is still the leader in single-varietal Cabernet Franc, and no other region has claimed the grape as its specialty. For BC Cabernet Franc to take the world by storm, local producers will need one style of wine to hang their hat on. Currently, Bordertown and Bartier Bros. celebrate the medium- bodied fresh and floral style, making juicy, lighter-tannin wines. Poplar Grove and Dark Horse steer toward structure and power with toasty oak. Sandhill and Tinhorn Creek fall in between, combining red fruit, juiciness and plenty of firm tannins. All BC styles achieve elegance, vibrancy and high quality. Cabernet Franc’s future may lie stylistically in the middle. With Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir offering light, juicy wine options and Syrah, Merlot and red blends giving a beefier, fuller choice, there’s lots of room in the middle for a fresh, medium- bodied wine. Sounds like a good spot for BC Cabernet Franc.
The Rise of BC Cabernet Franc Global wine tastes have shifted, and BC is well poised to become a Cabernet Franc superstar. Freshness and elegance are the new buzzwords, and attention is turning to varietals with these attributes—such as Cabernet Franc. At the same time, the BC wine industry is now confidently developing its own style of wines that speak of our sun-driven climate, pushing the boundaries of where grapes will grow. Acreage of Cabernet Franc has grown rapidly in BC as growers look to the future. Hardier than most varieties, Cabernet Franc has been a consistent performer in both quality and quantity. Tinhorn Creek Vineyards first planted the grape in 1994 and was one of the first to bottle Cabernet Franc as a single varietal. The winery’s success laid the groundwork for others. Plantings of Cabernet Franc in BC have grown faster than any other grape variety, increasing by 58 percent between 2008 and 2022 and now covering over 7 percent of BC’s vineyards.
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