Sable Rouge

The red grape variety originates from France or Spain. There are around 80 synonyms that testify to the vine's great age and spread. The most important ones, grouped alphabetically by country, are Achéria, Ardounet, Arrouya, Bidure, Boubet, Bouchet Franc, Bouchet Saint-Émilion, Bouchy, Breton, Cabernet Aunis, Cabernet Francese, Cabernet Franc Noir, Cabernet Gris, Cabrunet, Capbreton Rouge, Carbonet, Carbouet, Carmenet, Couahort, Cros Cabernet, Crouchen Negre, Crouchen Noir, Fer Servadou, Gros Bouchet, Gros Cabernet, Grosse Vidure, Messanges Rouge, Morenoa Veron Bouchy, Noir Dur, Plant Breton, Plant de l'Abbé Breton, Sable Rouge, Trouchet, Trouchet Noir, Véron, Vidure, Vuidure (France); Tsapournako (Greece); Cabernet Franc Crni (Croatia); Cabernet Bresciano, Cabernet Frank (Italy); Bordo (Romania); Bordeaux (Switzerland); Verdejilla Tinto (Spain).

Despite seeming synonyms or morphological similarities, it should not be confused with the varieties Ardonnet, Arrouya, Béquignol Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Fer (to which there may be a relationship), Gros Cabernet or Hondarribi Beltza. It is a very old variety in Bordeaux, but genetic and historical facts point to an origin in the Spanish Basque Country. According to one hypothesis, Cabernet Franc was introduced to Spain under the name Achéria by pilgrims from Irouléguy (French Basque Country) on their way to Santiago de Compostela (Galicia). However, the reverse route from Spain to France is also conceivable.

According to an unlikely and...