At last year’s National Wine Awards of Canada, 84 cabernet francs were entered, with 45 taking medals, including six Platinum (the most of any wine style). Veteran WineAlign judge and critic John Szabo MS commented that “cabernet franc has historically been one of the most successful categories and a perennial judges’ favourite – it seems we can’t get enough of this grape”.  Having been a judge at these awards since their founding in 2001, I can bear witness how far this grape has come as vineyards and winemaking have matured.

The wine regions of Europe are defined by specific grape varieties because those vines have proven over a long period of time to work well in the places they are planted. They ripen consistently well within the duration of growing season, are relatively disease resistant within the climate of the region, yield well enough to be commercially successful, and are capable of being made into different wine styles and quality levels. In a word, they are useful.

Cabernet Franc is assuming that role in Canada, and may define Canadian wine identity increasingly going forward. For some time now it has been the number one planted red grape in Ontario, with about 566 hectares (1,400 acres). In the past three vintages, production averaged 1,125 million litres, the largest three-year production to date. In British Columbia there are about 385 hectares (950 acres), putting it fourth place among red grapes. There are pockets in Quebec and Nova Scotia as well, but they are relatively tiny. They incite local buzz, but are not yet significant volume-wise. 

Globally, cabernet franc fits best in a growing season defined by 1,400 to 1,500 Growing Degree Days (GDD), a measurement of average daily temperature minus a base temperature under which individual crops will not grow. Niagara, with an average of 1,400 to 1500 GDDs, fits cabernet franc like a glove. In the Okanagan Valley, the 1,400 GDD zone begins in the central regions of Naramata and Summerland then increases up to 1,600 in Osoyoos in the south. Most other wine regions of Canada are well below 1,400 GDDs, with Ontario’s Prince Edward County capable of getting close in some vintages.

Cabernet franc is one of the three pillar varieties of Bordeaux in France, where it is blended with merlot and cabernet sauvignon. And of the three it is the earliest to ripen, which gives it a distinct advantage in Canada, which is slightly cooler than Bordeaux. It is also more winter hardy than merlot or cabernet sauvignon generally able to withstand temperatures of –24°C (another huge advantage in Canada). And it is moderately resistant to gray rot (botrytis) while being moderately susceptible to some fungal issues and mildew. So, overall, it’s an amenable, if not failsafe, vine for Canada

Styles of Canadian Cabernet Franc

It is not only a dependable viticultural performer, but also very useful to wineries and consumers for the many styles of wine it makes. It is best known for mid-weight dry red wines but there are three sub-groups – blends, oaked and less-oaked single varietal cabernet francs. 

It is historically best known in Bordeaux as a blending variety, and that is its major role in Canada as well.  It is generally lighter bodied than merlot or cabernet sauvignon so when combined with them its main role is to bring a sense of lighter, evenness and balance.   It is also notably fragrant, bringing aromatic lift and red fruit (raspberry) herbal complexity into the heavier black fruited fold of merlot (blackberry) and cabernet sauvignon (blackcurrant).  In Canada, more so than in Bordeaux, there are often many mid-weight blends are led by cabernet franc with merlot, and don’t contain cabernet sauvignon at all.

Straight-up, varietal cabernet francs are being made in two styles – with significant wood and without notable wood – with some in between. Barrel aged cab francs are in the majority, especially from the south Okanagan in B.C. where the wines tend to be more full-bodied and tannic and need the mollifying effect of oak. And if you see the word Reserve on the label you can be assured it has been in barrel, usually for well over a year. 

It also makes quite lovely varietal wines with minimal oak ageing. This is referred to as the Loire Valley style, after the cool climate region in north central France where cabernet franc is the basis of medium-weight, red-fruited wines in appellations like Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny.  In Canada this style is more likely to be found in Niagara and Prince Edward County, and is currently a preferred style among sommeliers and wine judges. It is also the style being made by a handful of wineries in Quebec, like Hemmingford.  And in Nova Scotia Benjamin Bridge is making a red in this style called Wild Rock that is 70% cab franc and 30% gamay.

But red wine is not cabernet franc’s only role in Canada. It is capable of making some lovely roses that capture its bright red fruit, floral notes and its trademark fresh herbals. The trick with cab franc rose is to find spot-on acid/sugar balance, with many having a tendency to lean too far into sweetness to compensate for the grape’s high acidity and green notes. 

I have also had the odd example of ‘blanc de franc’, in other words white still and sparkling wines made by immediately pressing the red grapes to extract the clear juice. The wines can be very intense and energized, but often rather green and harsh. Not a fan so far.

And finally, Canada’s gift to the world is cabernet franc icewine. This is actually my favourite style of icewine, with franc’s green notes creating a lovely foil to all the strawberry jam fruit and sweetness.  And most are actually less sweet than white icewines made from vidal and riesling. 

Stratus: One Winery Doing It All

The reviews that follow this post include one stellar wine from Stratus Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  I can’t think of a winery in Canada doing more work this variety, which is hugely important as the workhorse grape of their 55-acre vineyard that is 70% red grapes.  Stratus GM Suzanne Janke calls it their “Kaleidoscope of Cab Franc”.  They make seven versions in all, nine if you count their cab franc-based Stratus Red Black and White label blends.  They do two terroir-based editions from Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Niagara Escarpment.  They make an amphora aged cabernet franc. They do Cabernet Franc Zero, a “Trials” edition without sulfites, filtration or any interventions. They make super-premium arts edition called “Decant” reviewed below.  And they make Cabernet Franc Rose and Icewine.