The Cabernet Sauvignon refresh was episode 535, so I thought that on the heels of that it was time to do a refresh Cab Sauv's parents. This week is the Cabernet Franc refresh and next week will be Sauvignon Blanc, so you can have the full picture of the parents and the offspring.

Cabernet Franc is an underrated grape and things seem to be changing rapidly with it these days. In the past, it has often been used purely as a blending grape, except in the Loire Valley, but today it’s taking center stage. Producers and wine drinkers have realized that if the best wines of Château Cheval Blanc on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, have a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc, maybe there is something to this grape that should be explored.

Although Cab Franc still doesn’t have widespread popular acclaim, it is extremely important in the wine world. Today –it grows everywhere from France, Italy, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Washington State, Croatia, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Slovenia, Uruguay, and more. Plantings are growing and I see a bigger future for this grape.

In this show I cover:

• The origins and DNA of the grape
• Cab Franc in the vineyard
• Aromas and flavors
• Regions:
  • France: Loire, Bordeaux, Southwest France
  • Italy: Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Bolgheri
  • Hungary: Villány
  • Canada
  • United States: Finger Lakes, Long Island, Virginia, and a little bit on Napa, Sonoma, and Washington
  • South America: Argentina, Chile

I cover food pairings and serving temperatures too.

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

According to all the data – both anecdotal and industry –white wines have staged a huge comeback and are on the way to becoming more popular than red wines. The good news is that there are so many underrated, undiscovered white wines that you can enjoy year-round. Many of us drink seasonally, and when the weather cools down, we shift right to reds. It’s hard to get into the idea that there are also whites for cooler weather.

In this show I give you a list of 10 white wines that are great for autumn. They are slightly more robust, are medium to full bodied, and are flavorful and totally satisfying.

At the excellent suggestion of the Patrons, I categorized the show by wines that are easy to find, wines for which you may have to go to specialty shop, and those you probably are going to need to order online.

Special thanks to Trish Riggs at Allegria Wine Room in Logan, Ohio – friend and Patron, for okaying the list!

Pairings and some producers are mentioned in the show.

I got through three categories for your shopping convenience!

• Easy to find: Among the list is Chardonnay (new and improved!), Portuguese white, and Gewürztraminer
• Harder to find: I include white Rioja, Austrian Riesling, and more
• Really hard to find (you probably need to order online): Condrieu and aged Hunter Valley Semillon from Australia make the list.

There are so many more but I mention…Soave, Amontillado Sherry, Sauternes and more

Happy Autumn! Enjoy these whites and I hope you find new favorites!

In this show I host Alex Milner from Natte Valleij. He is my first South African guest and the first Cinsault-focused producer I've had on the show.


Photo: Alex Milner. Credit: Natte Valleij Instagram

I first learned about Natte Valleij from a local importer who presented the wine as an option for a wine dinner I put together with a restaurant partner. Among all the wines I tasted that day, the Cinsault from this South African producer stood out and it performed beautifully with the food at the dinner, as well.

The wine inspired me to do a Grape Miniseries show on Cinsault (episode 525), and the interest among the Patrons in this grape was very high, so I knew I had to have Alex Milner on the show to discuss his wines and his Cinsault passion.

Alex is doing something unusual in South Africa and he is a bit of a wine adventurer, finding old vineyards through is other passion -- cycling! He is energetic, funny, cool, smart, and determined. By pursuing this unsung hero of a grape, Alex has created a small movement of Cinsault rediscovery in South Africa. To use cycling parlance, he has staged the winning breakaway in South African wines: Cinsault!

We discuss the importance of Stellenbosch University in the South African wine industry, the history of Cinsault, the differences between the vineyards Alex sources from, and his beautiful Natte Valleij wines.

Photo: Natte Valleij Wines Credit: Natte Valleij Instagram

Seek out these wines! They are terrific, as is Alex!!

(PS -- the show is marked explicit because Alex drops an F bomb, but it's necessary to his point...)

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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes