Sydafrika Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc in South Africa can produce a very pale red wine with a peppery finish, but some vintners make versions that bring out the grape's more traditional deep black cherry and green pepper flavors. The wines can also have notes of tobacco, coffee and wood. Until recently, Cabernet Franc in South Africa has mostly been used as a blending grape with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to create Bordeaux-style blends. But smaller boutique wineries have begun bottling it as a single-varietal wine, and demand is growing. In South Africa, only about 1 percent of vines are Cabernet Franc, but the grapes are planted throughout many wine regions including Swartland, Paarl, Stellenbosch and Worcester.