The 7 Best Cabernet Franc From America to Drink Right Now in 2026
Silverado Vineyards, Acumen, La Jota Vineyard Co
Cabernet Franc is grown all over the world; in France’s Bordeaux, Bourgueil, and Chinon regions, South Africa, California’s Central Coast, Napa, Sonoma, Italy, Washington, and in New York both in the Finger Lakes and on Long Island. We have also tasted a few from Virginia, where it is growing in popularity. Although Cabernet Franc is originally from France where it is planted on over 90,000 acres, it now has a permanent home and is firmly rooted in North America. We have seen it used as a blending grape for years, but more recently American winemakers have been making 100 percent Cabernet Franc wines which we think is a great thing. A recent survey shows that there are about 3,400 acres of Cab Franc grown in California alone.
Cabernet Franc’s aromas and flavors will vary depending on where it is grown but you can expect aromas of red and black fruits with touches of bell pepper, jalapeño, and graphite followed by flavors of raspberries, blackberries, red plums, and dark cherries along with earthy notes. Cabernet Franc has a relatively high level of compounds that give it a green pepper or farmstand aroma that can translate to the palate. Its high tannins make Cabernet Franc a good choice when having a late summer or early fall barbecue with friends. Here are the seven best American Cabernet Francs to drink right now.
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Skipstone 2018 Luka’s Blend Cabernet Franc Sonoma County
Image Credit: Skipstone Skipstone was founded by Cyprus-born tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist Fahri Diner and his wife Constance Diner. Their estate covers 200 acres in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley and in addition to delicious wine, they make excellent olive oil. We had this eight-year-old offering at a recent visit to the winery and tasted it alongside more current vintages. While they were all good, this one just hit all the right buttons. It’s drinking perfectly right now, and we’re happy to see it offered at an online retailer, so don’t delay. It has aromas of blackberry, a touch of smoke, and a top note of jalapeño pepper. Velvety tannins are wrapped around flavors of black cherry, raspberry, and plum.
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Owen Roe 2022 Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc Yakima Valley
Image Credit: Owen Roe David and Angelica O’Reilly founded Owen Roe in Washington’s Columbia Valley in 1999. They first realized their love of wine while attending college in California and moved to the Central Coast. A few years later they relocated to Oregon where they’ve made wine for three decades. Today they and their eight children concentrate on making wine in the Willamette and Yakima Valleys. Their 2022 Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc has earthy aromas of forest floor, Porcini mushroom, and bright red fruits. It has brilliant acidity in the mid palate and flavors of red cherry, cranberry, and finely ground white pepper.
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Acumen 2023 Peak Cabernet Franc Atlas Peak
Image Credit: Acumen Early records show that grapes have been grown on Atlas Peak since 1870. Located on the east side of Napa Valley, Atlas Peak vineyards generally experience temperatures that are 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the valley floor, which impart a definite sense of freshness and balanced acidity to the finished wine. This delicious bottle is no exception; a blend of 90 percent Cabernet Franc and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, it has heady aromas of baking chocolate, cassis, dried tobacco leaf, and ripe black fruits. It is full bodied with pleasantly grippy tannins and flavors of black raspberry, plum, brown baking spice, and mocha in the finish.
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La Jota Vineyard Co. 2023 Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc Howell Mountain
Image Credit: La Jota Vineyard Co One of the first wineries built on Howell Mountain, La Jota was founded by Frederick Hess in 1898. Using materials found on the property he fashioned the buildings from volcanic rock and the fermentation tanks from felled redwood trees. Current winemaker Chris Carpenter uses more modern stainless-steel tanks and French-oak barrels to craft this delightful high-altitude Cabernet Franc. It has aromas of brown baking spice, pencil lead, cigar box, and ripe red and black fruits. Flavors of black currant, blackberry, and forest floor are stacked on a sturdy tannic backbone.
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Hermann J. Wiemer 2023 Magdalena Vineyard Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes
Image Credit: Harmann J. Wiemer Hermann J. Wiemer is widely credited as one of the pioneers of grape growing and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. He arrived to the region in the 1960s and worked at Bully Hill Vineyards until he eventually earned the title of winemaker. He purchased an old soybean farm in 1973, planted vines, and today his eponymous estate covers 90 acres on the western slope of Lake Seneca. Grapes for this delicious wine are grown in his 2.5-acre Magdalena Vineyard, and the resulting wine has amazing aromatics of black raspberry, dark cherry, and a whiff of green pepper. It has balanced acidity and great heft on the palate with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and dried cranberry.
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Silverado Vineyards 2019 Mt. George Vineyard Cabernet Franc Coombsville
Image Credit: Silverado Vineyards Bill Foley and his wife Carol are the current stewards of Silverado Vineyards, which was founded by Ron and Diane Miller and her mother Lillian Disney in 1981. The stunning estate is in the center of the Stags Leap District, but grapes for this fantastic Cabernet Franc come from the Coombsville AVA. This seven-year-old wine is the current release at the winery, and it has aged beautifully, still drinking like it was bottled just last year. Silverado Vineyards 2019 Mt. George Vineyard Cabernet Franc has powerful aromas of rolled tobacco leaf, cassis, and a lifted note of jalapeño pepper. Silky soft, rounded tannins support flavors of black plum, blackberry, red plum, finely ground brown baking spices, and red raspberry.
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Wölffer Caya Cabernet Franc 2021 Long Island
Image Credit: Wolffer Wölffer has been making quality, sustainably farmed wines in the Hamptons since its founding by Christian Wölffer 1988. Today the estate is managed by his daughter, Joey, and son, Marc, with winemaker and partner Roman Roth. The estate covers 170 acres on the South Fork of Long Island and 28 acres on the North Fork. Wölffer Caya is dark garnet colored with aromas of plum, Mission fig, and black licorice. The tannins are silky smooth and support flavors of black raspberry, cherry, and dried savory spices.
