February 2026 — Grape Varieties

4 posts

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Franc

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc 🍷 Cabernet Franc (often referred to as Cab Franc) is a lesser know grape, but it’s actually the parent grape for both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon! Nearly two-thirds of Cabernet Franc is grown in France, but Italy and the U.S. now h...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon 🍷 Widely considered the “King of Red Wines,” Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most widely planted and renowned red wine grape. It originated in 17th-century France as a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It is cons...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carignan

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carignan

Carignan 🍷 Carignan Grapes — Image from Wikimedia Commons (Sarah Stierch) Carignan (care-in-yen), also known as Carineña or Mazuelo, is a black-skinned wine grape variety, most likely native to Aragon, Spain. It is largely grown in France with ...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carmenere

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carmenere

Carménère 🍷 The name Carménère (kar-men-nair) comes from the French word carmin (meaning crimson). Unlike many grapes whose leaves turn yellow or brown, Carménère leaves turn a brilliant, fiery red in the fall, long before the grapes are even ready ...

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