Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest fine wine grapes, the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon (with Sauvignon Blanc) and widely used, especially in Right Bank Bordeaux blends (Libournais, St Emilion) reaching a peak in the famous Chateau Cheval Blanc. As a varietal wine it is most at home in the Loire in the wines of Chinon, Bourgeuil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil and Saumur-Champigny. As a lighter and earlier-ripening cropper compared with Cabernet Sauvignon it makes delightful soft wines in France whereas major plantings in both the Old World (Hungary especially) and the New World (especially South Africa and California) can show other, more boisterous sides to this classic  grape. I have chosen three very different examples to try to show the range of this favourite grape of mine.

• 2020 Delaire Graff Cabernet Franc Rose (Stellenbosch, South Africa). A pale but very fruit-forward rose, notes of sweet pink grapefruit and maybe ripe gooseberries, lovely mouthfill and just a touch of tannins to balance a sweetish element. Very quaffable, drank well with salmon, smoked salmon and, more surprisingly, spicy Mexican dishes. No sign of a wishy-washy rose here! Very much admired. (Divine Fine Wines, £12.95 + carriage)
• 2018 Zuccardi Apelacion Cabernet Franc (Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina). From the well-known house of Zuccardi, one of their entry-level wines, 100% Cabernet Franc. Surprisingly highly coloured, this is quite a robust take on the grape, not typical of Cabernet Franc but none the worse for that. Much rich red berry fruit on the nose and quite long on the palate with decided minerality and smooth tannins. At day 2 the wine had improved with a touch of liquorice on the palate. Good value for such a rich wine. (Cheers Ltd,. Wine Merchants, Swansea, £14.95 + carriage)
• 2018 Domaine Frederic Mabileau “Les Roullieres” (AC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil). 100% Cabernet Franc, a lighter wine typical of Saint-Nicolas and, for some, the characteristic “greenish” or “bell-pepper” notes on both nose and palate, more widely perceived as a pleasant “farmyard” note. Very much in the traditional Loire style, this wine split the tasters, some feeling that it was short on the palate and, against the Zuccardi, somewhat thin, others loving the light touch of this gentle wine. Very much made for food and drinking well with, e.g., salmon, this was much improved after being left open overnight. Mabileau is a highly respected grower and for such a classic wine I think it is good value at 15 quid. My personal favourite on the night. (De Burgh Wines, Scotland and others, £14.99 + carriage)

Overall a very interesting comparison of three widely different styles of this rather under-appreciated grape. Thanks, everyone, for contributing your thoughts and views.