Camille’s Favorite Wines
Cabernet Franc
The Supportive Mother from Bordeaux
Meet Camille, the supportive mother of the Bordeaux Tribe. She is French, married to Stephan (Sauvignon Blanc), and raised two daughters, Catherine (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Mary (Merlot), whom she supports quietly from behind the scenes.
She has a medium build, likes to dress in ruby red, and carries a somewhat intense personality. She loves gardening green plants alongside Stephan, and when she is not with her family, she slips away to the Loire Valley for some solitude.
In wine terms? Camille is Cabernet Franc, the parent grape of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Cabernet Franc originates from Bordeaux, France, though it really shines as a single-variety wine in the Loire Valley. It has since traveled well beyond France too, finding success in Italy, the US, and Chile.
Expect a medium-bodied red wine with high acidity and medium-to-high tannins, poured a bright ruby in the glass. Camille’s signature trait carries through in the glass too: a distinct herbaceous note of green bell pepper, the same green note her daughter Catherine inherits in her own wine.
In Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc rarely takes center stage on its own. Winemakers blend a small percentage into Merlot- and Cabernet Sauvignon-led wines to add floral notes, acidity, and that herbaceous edge, exactly the kind of quiet, essential support Camille gives her daughters.
It stands beautifully on its own too, especially in the Loire Valley, where it is often bottled as a single variety wine.Now let's find you some bottles she'd actually approve of.
Camille's Top Picks
We picked bottles from Camille’s homeland and beyond. All available on Pop Up Wine Singapore. Click any wine name to shop it.
1. For a casual weeknight
Château Montcabrier : Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge 2018
Bordeaux, France | $40 / bottle · Sale price
Price may change after the sale ends.
Camille says: "This is a wine that does its job without asking for attention, firm tannins wrapped around juicy blackcurrant fruit, with just a whisper of the herbal green note I love. Earlier vintages earned Bronze from Wine Enthusiast and gold at the Concours de Bordeaux. Some of the best support does not need to shout."
Pairs with: Grilled sausages, roast chicken, or a simple cheese board
2. A bigger dose of Cabernet Franc
Château Tour Bayard : Montagne Saint-Émilion 2021
Montagne Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France | $47 / bottle · Sale price
Price may change after the sale ends.
Camille says: "This one carries more of me in the blend than most, 15% Cabernet Franc, and you can taste it: walnut, plum, and a touch of herbaceous note, medium-bodied with a firm, chewy finish. James Suckling gave it 90 points, and it is rated 4.0 out of 5 on Vivino. When I get a bigger share of the blend, this is what happens."
Pairs with: Roast duck, mushroom risotto, or herb-crusted lamb
3. To impress at a dinner party
Baron de Boutisse : Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2019
Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France | $50 / bottle · Sale price
Price may change after the sale ends.
Camille says: "This is a proper Saint-Émilion, perfumed with dried violets, dark plums, licorice, and a touch of chocolate orange, medium-bodied with fine, supple tannins. James Suckling scored it 94 points, and the estate has picked up gold medals in Berlin and at the Sakura Awards in other years too. Pour this one when you want the room to notice, even if I never ask to be noticed myself."
Pairs with: Rack of lamb, duck breast, or a mushroom tart
4. Great value-for-money
Château Le Jurat : Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2016
Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France | $55 / bottle · Sale price
Price may change after the sale ends.
Camille's pick in Bordeaux Tribe Wine Box
Camille says: "Do not let the price fool you, this is ripe dark fruit with polished, cedary oak and silky, violet-infused blackberries that go on and on. James Suckling scored it 93 points, and it has picked up bronze honors from both CellarTracker and The Wine Cellar Insider. Real quality does not always come with a big price tag, and neither does real support."
Pairs with: Roast beef, charcuterie, or hard cheeses
5. For a special occasion
Grosset "Gaia" : Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2018
Clare Valley, South Australia | $78 / bottle
Camille says: "Even far from home, in Australia’s Clare Valley, I still show up in the blend. Expect pomegranate and boysenberry with a dab of licorice, rolled tobacco, and cedary oak, medium-bodied with tannins so plush you could drink it tonight. Jane Faulkner scored it 96 points at the Halliday Wine Companion Awards, from a five-star winery that only made seven and a half thousand bottles. Some journeys are worth the distance."
Pairs with: Grilled lamb, aged cheddar, or a mushroom-based main
Taste her entire tribe
Bordeaux Tribe Wine Box
Camille says: "My bottle is the red Bordeaux blend I share with Mary and Catherine. Their Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are in here too, with Stephan’s Sauvignon Blanc and a white Bordeaux."
S$259 · Sale price
Price may change after the sale ends.
Cabernet Franc Cheat Sheet
| Body | Medium-bodied |
| Color | Bright ruby to garnet |
| Tasting notes | Strawberry, raspberry, green bell pepper, chili pepper |
| Serve at | 15–20°C |
| Best with | Roasted meats, lamb with herbs, tomato-based dishes, goat cheese |
| Avoid with | Sweet desserts, delicate seafood, or overly spicy dishes |
| Glass type | Standard red wine glass (medium bowl highlights the herbaceous notes) |
Meet Camille
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