Cabernet Franc and Food Pairing
Ingredients and Styles
Cabernet Franc is a food-friendly grape. Pairings are largely dictated by the particular style of wine. A classic pure Cabernet Franc, such as one from Chinon, is different from a big, rich, oak-aged bottling from California. And a cool climate Cabernet Franc from Ontario is quite a different animal from a sumptuous and smooth St.-Émilion from France.
Of course, wines made with this grape still share some signature characteristics. Because Cabernet Franc is inherently herbal, leafy, and a little green, preparing dishes with herbs and herbal marinades and cooking with herbs are good bets. Even throwing a few branches of rosemary onto your grill with the charcoal can bring out the herbal qualities in the wine. Its balanced to high-acidity and moderately hard tannins make it a flexible companion to food.
The most significant challenge in pairing is the level of oak. Many Cabernet Franc varietal wines are dominated by caramel, chocolate, and vanilla flavors, resulting in limited application at the table. Still, oak is an equal-opportunity challenge: cooks face the same pairing problems with Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Barbera. The solution: if you've got oak, play to the oak.
| Wine Style | Ingredients | Cuisines + Cooking Methods |
|---|---|---|
| 100% Cabernet Franc, cool climate, leafy, Old World style | Herbs, especially fresh Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli rabe Broccoli Tuna Pork Prosciutto Mild goat cheese, feta |
Pump up the herbs in your dishes Use herbs as a bridge to the wine, as in veal saltimbocca (with sage and prosciutto) Make an herb-based marinade for your fish or pork Sautéed leafy greens Use goat cheese, with its acidity to match the acidity in the wine Incorporate greens and feta, as in a Greek spinach pie (Spanakopita) If the wine is a bit tannic, go easy on the salt |
| Blended, smooth, sumptuous Old World style | Herbs, especially rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and sage Beef Pork, especially smoked |
Garnish the classic meat stew with herbs Keep seasoning in check -- not too assertive -- to avoid overwhelming the wine Dishes that mimic the creamy texture in the wine, such as risotto Add a smoky meat, such as bacon or pancetta, to a pasta dish to echo the smokiness in the wine |
| Rich, oak-aged New World style (both pure 100% Cabernet Franc and blended) | Beef Pork Corn Tomatoes Mild, smoked chiles |
Dishes that pair well with Cabernet Sauvignon will do well. Emphasize smoky, herbal notes -- beef with some char, a smoky bbq sauce. Mexican food, especially enchiladas with a traditional red chile, garlic, and tomato base, or a green chile sauce |
Pairing Pointers
Cabernet Franc pairs well with:
- Green herbs and herbal-scented recipes. Especially good partners for Cabernet Franc include rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and sage. Veal saltimbocca (with sage and prosciutto), a brochette of rosemary-marinated pork, or a classic meat stew garnished with fresh herbs would pair well, as would a risotto or pasta with herbs, onions, garlic and a little pancetta, Canadian bacon, or sausage.
- Cooked tuna. Though not happy with sashimi, sushi, or tuna tartare, Cabernet Franc, especially from the Loire Valley, is a nice accompaniment to a piece of seared tuna or similarly textured fish. Serve with a little sautéed spinach on the side, and you've got a winning combination.
- Goat cheese. I enjoy Cabernet Franc with dishes that incorporate mild goat cheese, with its higher acidity and slight piquancy, in the preparation. Pasta with goat cheese, greens, and toasted walnuts is a winner, as is a phyllo pie stuffed with goat cheese and spinach.
- Enchiladas and other Mexican fare. Sometimes accidents are quite fortuitous. After completing a tasting of many Cabernet Francs one afternoon, we brought in some Mexican food. Most of it matched up well, but the enchiladas were dazzling. The sauce, with a traditional red chile, garlic, and tomato base, pulled it all together; the enchiladas suizas, with green chile sauce, were also very tasty with the wine.
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Cabernet Franc does not pair well:
- When you pick the wrong one. When the dish craves a leafy, green French wine and you select a coconut-chocolate macaroon masquerading as an oaky Cabernet Franc from California, the results are rarely pleasant.
- With rich shellfish. The flavor bridges between protein and most Cabernet Franc-based wines are pungent herbs and green vegetables (such as leafy greens, sautéed bell peppers, and broccoli). Because few shellfish recipes include these ingredients, pairing prepared shellfish with most Cabernet Francs is tough.
- With strongly flavored fish. Leaving aside the classic Bordeaux blend or rich oaky examples, which obviously won't work, even the leaner, greener styles don't show well with catfish, mackerel, or fresh sardines.
- With sweet entrées. Unless you are opting for a fruit-bomb wine (and some Cabernet Francs like this do exist) or working with a style that is actually a little sweet (a rosé or even a red with a lot of new wood), even slightly sweet dishes are tough to match up with these wines.
- With delicate and subtle dishes. Regardless of style, most Cabernet Franc wines are forward and expressive. Subtle or understated dishes are easily overwhelmed.