Daily Camera: Drinking with Doug: Smitten with Cab Franc

“I shared a glass of 9-year-old Chinon with Elizabeth Sammuri, the beverage director at Flagstaff House, in the restaurant’s gorgeous dining room one late afternoon this week. She told me the grape is the parent to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenere, all varietals used in Bordeaux blends. She spoke with savvy about how the vines withstand frigid winters, and how she might suggest to diners beguiled by grapes like Pinot Noir, or by Italian wines in general, that they give Cab Franc a shot.

‘I love its savoriness,’ she said. ‘I look for things like tomato leaf, oregano, dried herbs. Even olive tapenade.'”

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