Other Names: Aceria, Acheria, Arrouya, Bordo, Bouchet, Bouchy, Breton, Burdeas Tinto, Cabernet, Cabernet Aunis, Cabernet Franco, Capbreton Rouge, Carmenet, Fer Servandou, Gamput, Grosse Vidure, Hartling
Place of Origin: France
Growing Regions：France,The United States,Italy, Canada, South Africa, Argentina, Chile
Typical Aromas：cherry, blackcurrant, smoke and raspberry, etc.
Origins：
Cabernet Franc is one of the most important and ancient varieties in the Bordeaux region. However, recent genetic and historical studies point to the Spanish Basque Country for its place of origin. In the 12th century, priests of the church of Roncesvalles in Basque Country had started to plant local varieties such as Acheria, which is the Basque name for Cabernet Franc.In Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc was called Breton during the 16th century. It was not until the 19th century that Cabernet was mentioned to name the Cabernet Franc.
Variety Characteristics and Growing Conditions:
Cabernet Franc grapes are small with thin skins and low acidity. 
Although Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon have some similarities, Cabernet Franc sprouts and matures one week earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. Moreover, Cabernet Franc is prone to stop growing after flowering. Fortunately, it is also easy to be fully mature, thus its harvest can be kept away from bad weather. Cabernet Franc needs cool inland climate. Limestone clay or sandy soil without water pressure is suitable for planting Cabernet Franc.
Main Planting Regions and Characteristics：
France
In the late 1960s, Bordeaux had about 10,000 hectares of Cabernet Franc,which was as much as the plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon. However, since Cabernet Sauvignon became more popular than Cabernet Franc, the plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon were almost the double of that of Cabernet Franc after 20 years, and until now, this ratio remains the same. However, the plantings of Cabernet Franc in Gironde have increased to 14,300 hectares; Southwest France also plants Cabernet Franc. According to the statistics published in 2000, Cabernet Franc is France’s sixth most planted red wine variety with a total planting area of 36,000 hectares, of which half in Southwest France and another half in the Loire Valley.
Italy
The variety is also grown well in Italy, especially in northeastern Italy. The yield in northeastern is particularly high and the variety show too intense notes of herb,but less aromas of fruit. Nowadays, planters in Tuscany and central Italy also begin to show great interest in Cabernet Franc. In Tuscany's Bolgheri and areas near to Maremma, Cabernet Franc matures relatively late and thus, very balanced and elegant.
The United States
In the early days of the time, California often confused Cabernet Franc with Merlot, and since the late 1960s the locals began to grow real Cabernet Franc. In California, Cabernet Franc was originally used to increase the complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon, and now most of the Cabernet Franc are used for making Meritage blends. In Washington State, Cabernet Franc is also used to produce balanced and fruity wines.
Other Regions
In Canada, Cabernet Franc has become a very popular black grape variety. In Argentina and Chile, the plantings of Cabernet Franc are also increasing. However, it is in a very minor position in Australia and New Zealand.

Other Names: Burdeos Tintos, Bidure, Bordeaux Bordo, Bouschet, Bouschet Sauvignon, Breton, Burdeos Tinto, Cabernet Petit, Carbonet, Carmenet, Castet, Kaberne Sovinjon, Lafet, Lafit, Marchoupet, Navarre, Petit Bous
Origin: France
Growing Areas：France, The United States, Ital, Spain, Australia, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, China, Eastern Europe

Flavor Profile：black currant, blueberry, licorice, clove bud, smoky, dried leaves, animal fur, mineral
Origins:
As the most famous red wine grape variety in the world, Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't have a long history, but Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the red wine grape varieties that are planted most extensively on Earth.
The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon had been a mystery until DNA profiling was carried out by Dr. Carole Meredith and his team in UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology in 1997, confirming that Cabernet Sauvignon is the product of a natural genetic crossing between key Bordeaux grape varieties Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th Century. That's why the notes of Cabernet Sauvignon are so similar to Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc and why Cabernet Franc appeared earlier in the documentary records than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Viticultural Characteristics:
Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick-skinned grape variety. It is small-sized and dark blue. Cabernet Sauvignon contains many seeds which give wine more tannins and color. These characteristics make Cabernet Sauvignon outstanding in blind tasting. In addition, Cabernet Sauvignon is not easy to rot. Compared with other extensively planted grape varieties, the greatest feature of Carbernet Sauvignon is its rich phenolics. Because of this, Cabernet Sauvignon wine has deep dark color and great aging potential.
Cabernet Sauvignon buds and ripens late, usually one or two weeks later than Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This grape variety cannot fully ripen under cool climate, especially in Tasmania and New Zealand. Even in Bordeaux where the climate is much warmer, unexpected rain also affects the ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon. Unripened Cabernet Sauvignon tastes queer.
Where It's Grown And What It's Wine Taste Like:
Nowadays, Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in most appellations of France and many other appellations in new and old world. It expresses extremely well in Medoc, Pessac-Leognan, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Bolgheri, Coonawarra and Margaret River, etc. In these areas, Cabernet Sauvignon is always blended with local grape varieties, but it is also made for varietal wine. For several centuries, Cabernet Sauvignon wine always shows the rich and special French oak flavor. And the real charm of Cabernet Sauvignon wine is not its plentiful fruity notes but the flavor components from aging in bottles. These flavor components comes from the grape berries, fermentation and the complicated interaction between alcohol and oak. Even if in bulk-production regions, Cabernet Sauvignon wine is still of not bad quality. That's the part of reasons why Cabernet Sauvignon is planted so Extensitvely.

Principal Synonyms: Lambrusquet, Petit Verdau, Petit Verdot Noir, Verdau, Verdot

Origins: Bordeaux, France

Main Growing Area: US, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Chile

Typical Aroma Characters: Cassis, blueberry, mulberry, prune, cedar, clove and smoky.

Origins and Parentage

Petit Verdot comes from the Gironde in south-west France. According to the DNA parentage analysis, Tressot is a cross variety of Petit Verdot and Duras.

Viticultural Characteristics

Petit Verdot is an early budding but late ripening variety which is fairly productive. Well suited to grave soils and sensitive to drought. Good resistance to botrytis bunch rot since its berries are small and with thick skins. Cool weather conditions can lead to some unripe small, seedless green berries.

Main Growing Areas and Characteristics

France

When fully ripe, Petit Verdot produces wines that are deep-colored, powerful, rich, tannic and have great potential to age. It used to be an important variety on the left bank of Gironde during the 19th century. The vineyard area of Petit Verdot has declined since 1990s as it is hard to ripe in the Bordeaux. In 1998, the vineyard area was only 338 hectares.

In the southern and south-western France, Petit Verdot is increasing again, mostly because the global warming. In 2009, the recorded vineyard areas of Petit Verdot in France was 862 hectares, with the majority in the Bordeaux region.

Spain

Petit Verdot was introduced to Spain in the 1990s and the plantings reached 1,042 hectares by 2008. Since Spain has a warmer climate, Petit Verdot ripens well here and can produce varietal wines with good quality.

Australia

Petit Verdot is a popular variety in Australia, particularly in warmer regions such as Murray Darling, Riverland and Riverina. There were 1,354 hectares Petit Verdot in Australia by 2008, mostly in inland regions like McLaren Vale, Margaret River and Coonawarra.

United States

In 2008 the plantings of Petit Verdot in California had reached 1,779 hectares, mostly in Napa and Sonoma, where they are used for Meritage Blends. In Washington, the vineyard area was 53 hectares by 2006, where Petit Verdot acts as an important part in the Bordeaux blends. There are also limited plantings in other American states.

South Africa

Petit Verdot is becoming more and more popular in South Africa. Total vineyard area has grown from 20 hectares in 1998 to 634 hectares by 2008, with the majority in Stellenbosch and Paarl.

There are also Petit Verdot plantings in Israel, Portuguese, Turkey, Argentina, Chile and some Italian regions such as Maremma and Toscany.