| California is the only place in the world planted | | | | reliable weather, while the weather in Bordeaux |
| with just about all the better known wine grapes, | | | | dictates the quality and thus the "vintage" is so |
| producing variable qualities of wines. Elsewhere in | | | | much talked about when it comes to Bordeaux |
| the world, wine and grapes are location specific. | | | | reds. |
| While some regions have same grapes, no two | | | | Cabernet Franc: Cabernet Franc's charms are in |
| regions plant identical grapes and make identical | | | | its fragrant aromas rich with red berries, |
| styles of wines. This article is Part I of the | | | | blackcurrant leaves, and herbaceous notes, and |
| three-part article series on the types of red wines | | | | approachable styles of tannins. With the right |
| in the world. The connection of grapes, wines and | | | | terroir - combined elements of the natural |
| the regions would help the understanding of this | | | | environment, for examples, Napa and Sonoma, |
| lovely drink that we call wine. | | | | Cabernet Franc could produce dark fruit, |
| Barbera: Indigenous to the most prominent wine | | | | well-structured and complex full-bodied single |
| region of Italy, Piedmonte, Barbera makes two | | | | varietal wine. |
| styles of wine: youthful, lively, with sour-cherry | | | | Carmenère: Originated in the Bordeaux |
| flavor, or oak-aged, complex, with darker fruit, | | | | region of France as a blending grape but never |
| toast, spices notes. The latter is meant for aging | | | | playing a major role, Carmenère has |
| with the maturity bringing out the best of its | | | | found its stage to shine in Chile as a single varietal |
| characteristics. | | | | wine. Well, there was a little hiccup when it was |
| Cabernet Sauvignon: Bordeaux and California are | | | | mistaken to be Merlot in the vineyard and made |
| the largest planting and production regions for the | | | | into wines labeled Merlot, but that confusion has |
| King of Red Wines. The different approach in | | | | since then be cleared. The Chilean |
| these two regions is that in Bordeaux, Cabernet | | | | Carmenère offers velvety texture, low |
| Sauvignon is almost always blended with other | | | | acidity and almost-sweet fruit flavors, as long as |
| regional grapes, while many California producers | | | | the grapes are ripen properly, not harvested |
| make varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The | | | | unripe. |
| advantage of the Californian winemakers is the | | | | |