Veneto Cabernet: Sauvignon and Franc from small Venetian producers
Veneto Cabernet is one of the most successful expressions of the so-called Bordeaux blend outside France: here the family's two grape varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc — find a climate and soils that yield red wines of real character, with full fruit and the typical herbaceous note. On this page you'll find our selection of Venetian Cabernet — 6 labels from 11,50 € to 42 € — together with a guide to understanding the differences, appellations, food pairings and how to choose the right bottle.
These are not industrial wines: every bottle comes from small Venetian producers — from the banks of the Piave to the hills of the Asolano, from Breganze to the Colli Berici — who tend family vineyards. The appellations you'll come across are Piave DOC, Breganze DOC, Colli Berici and Veneto IGT, often with Cabernet Franc made as a single-varietal wine. Cabernet Franc is also available in magnum (1.5 l, for special occasions), and the Riserva Piave in a box of 6 bottles for those buying in quantity.
Veneto Cabernet at a glance
Our Veneto Cabernet labels
The Cabernet labels available on VaiGustando, all from small Venetian producers. Click a wine for the full details and to buy.
Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc: the differences
They share the same surname but they are two different grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon is in fact born from the natural crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. In the glass they are told apart by their structure and aromatic nuances.
| Characteristic | Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Franc |
|---|---|---|
| Body and tannins | Full, firm tannins | Leaner, fine tannin |
| Typical aromas | Blackcurrant, blackberry, balsamic notes | Berries, violet, green bell pepper |
| Acidity | Medium | Medium-high, fresh |
| Ageing | Long (10+ years) | Medium, excellent young too |
| In Veneto | Piave DOC, Colli Berici, blends | Often single-varietal, Veneto IGT |
The famous green bell-pepper note of Cabernet Franc, seen as a flaw elsewhere, is instead a signature and prized trait in Veneto and Friuli. If you're after power and ageing potential, go for the Sauvignon; if you love freshness and elegance, the Franc is the choice.
Single-varietal Cabernet Franc: the Venetian speciality
In the rest of the world Cabernet Franc is almost always a blending grape, the Sauvignon's partner in the classic Bordeaux blend. In Veneto — and in neighbouring Friuli — the opposite happens: here the Franc is often made as a single-varietal wine and takes the lead, in one of Italy's most successful interpretations.
The beauty lies precisely in the trait that is corrected elsewhere: the green bell-pepper note, due to the grape's pyrazines. In Venetian Franc it is not a flaw but a signature, interwoven with violet, berries and a fine tannin. The result is a red that is leaner and fresher than the Sauvignon, elegant and highly drinkable, yet never lacking in character.
In our range it is made by two very different wineries: Buvoli, a Vicenza «garage winery» whose single-varietal Franc is among the most sought-after (magnum included), and Agricola da Schio with its Microcosmo from the Colli Berici, from sustainable farming: two ways of telling the story of the same grape variety, both deeply Venetian.
Cabernet in Veneto: territories and appellations
Cabernet has been grown in Veneto for over a century and has found a home in several areas, each with a different signature:
- Piave DOC — the Treviso plain along the river Piave, the chosen land of the softer, readier Cabernet, with the Riserva bottlings capable of ageing.
- Asolo Montello DOC — the hills of the Asolano, where Cabernet produces fine, terroir-driven wines, finer in cut than powerful.
- Breganze DOC — the volcanic hills of the Vicenza area, which give Cabernet minerality and clean aromas.
- Colli Berici — between Vicenza and the Polesine, an area suited to Cabernet in a sustainable, artisanal key.
- Veneto IGT — the appellation that gives freedom of interpretation, often used for single-varietal Cabernet Franc and for signature labels.
All our Cabernets are born in these areas of the Pedemontana Veneta and the Treviso plain: a small patch of land that the big generalist catalogues rarely describe in detail.
Tasting profile: how to recognise it in the glass
In the glass, Venetian Cabernet shows an intense ruby red with garnet reflections as it ages. On the nose, red and black fruit dominates — blackcurrant, blackberry, sour cherry — with the typical herbaceous notes (green bell pepper, tomato leaf) and, in the oak-aged versions, hints of tobacco, leather and spice.
On the palate it is dry and well-structured, with tannins that are present but ripe and an acidic freshness that makes it versatile at the table. The typical strength is 12,5-14% vol. Served well, it is a red that combines drinkability and complexity.
One last note to help you find your way among the labels: the DOC abbreviations (Piave, Breganze) indicate a precise zone and set of rules, while Veneto IGT allows more freedom and is often the choice for single-varietal Cabernet Franc and for signature wines. The word Riserva signals a longer ageing and, generally, more structure.
Our Venetian Cabernet producers
Behind every label there is a real winery, with a history and a territory. Here is who makes the Cabernets you'll find here:
- Italo Cescon (Piave, Treviso) — wine craftsmen on the banks of the Piave since 1957; theirs are the Cabernet Veneto IGT and the Riserva Piave DOC. Discover the winery →
- Buvoli (Vicenza) — a signature "garage winery": its single-varietal Cabernet Franc is among the most sought-after, magnum included. Discover the winery →
- Firmino Miotti (Breganze, Vicenza) — historic viticulture on the volcanic hills of the Vicenza area. Discover the winery →
- La Caneva dei Biasio (Cendrole, between Castelfranco and Asolo) — terroir wines at an honest price. Discover the winery →
- Agricola da Schio (Colli Berici) — sustainable farming and the Cabernet Franc "Microcosmo". Discover the winery →
Food pairings: what to eat with Cabernet
To understand what to drink Cabernet with, it helps to start from how it's made: a red with evident tannin and a good acidic backbone. The tannin needs fat and protein to lean on — this is why it is at its best with red meats and long cooking, and it cuts through the richest dishes. The acidity, for its part, keeps the mouth clean and ready for the next bite even faced with hearty sauces and gravies. Then there is the aromatic signature: the herbaceous note of green bell pepper and scrubland — pronounced in the Franc — pairs with flavoursome vegetables, herbs and baked dishes, where an all-fruit red would struggle more. Only one rule remains: let the intensity of the dish and that of the wine grow together.
- Red meats grilled and roasted
- Braises, pot roasts and stews of long cooking
- Game, furred and feathered
- Pasta with ragù of meat
- Cheeses medium- and long-aged
In Veneto, Cabernet finds a cuisine made just for it. The flagship dish is pastissada de caval, the pot roast served with polenta, which calls for exactly this kind of structured red. On the hills of the Asolano, of Breganze and of the Berici — hunting country — it works with game, from guinea fowl to jugged hare, and with the Sunday roasts; among the first courses, bigoli with duck ragù and pastas with meat sauce are a classic. Cabernet Franc, leaner and with that herbaceous streak, has all-Venetian pairings that bring out its best: Treviso red radicchio grilled or in risotto, whose slightly bitter edge converses with the wine's vegetal notes, and soppressa vicentina with a board of cured meats. With cheeses, follow the ageing: Morlacco del Grappa or fresh Asiago for the nimbler Francs, extra-aged Asiago stravecchio DOP or Montasio for the Sauvignons and the riservas.
In short: single-varietal Franc goes with cured meats, flavoursome white meats and dishes of medium intensity; the Sauvignon and the riservas stand up to big cooking, rich dishes and the bolder game.
How to serve and store Cabernet
Serve Cabernet at 16-18 °C in large glasses, which help to release the aromas. The younger labels and the single-varietal Francs benefit from a brief aeration; the structured riservas can be decanted to soften the tannin.
In the cellar, keep the bottles lying down, in the dark, at a constant temperature (12-14 °C). Everyday Cabernets are at their best within 2-4 years; the riservas and crus like the Buvoli can evolve and improve for 8-10 years and beyond.
Vintages and ageing: when to open it
Not all Cabernets ask for the same time. As a general rule, the more structured the wine, the more it gains from waiting — but every band has its own best moment:
- To drink young (2-4 years) — everyday Cabernets like the Cabernet DOC from La Caneva dei Biasio, the Breganze from Firmino Miotti or the Veneto IGT from Italo Cescon: freshness and fruit are their appeal.
- To wait for (5-8 years) — the Superiore and Riserva versions, like the Riserva Piave from Italo Cescon or the Franc "Microcosmo" from Agricola da Schio: a few years smooth the tannin and bring notes of leather, tobacco and spice.
- For collecting (8-10 years and beyond) — crus like the Franc from Buvoli, especially in magnum, a format in which the wine evolves more slowly and for longer.
How do you know it's ready? The colour turns from ruby to garnet, the aromas become more tertiary (undergrowth, leather, spice) and the tannin, on tasting, is softer. To store them at their best until that moment, see how to serve and store.
Buying guide by price band
- Everyday (10-15 €) — Cabernet DOC from La Caneva dei Biasio, Breganze Cabernet DOC from Firmino Miotti, Cabernet Veneto IGT from Italo Cescon: ready, versatile, perfect for every day.
- Superiore (15-25 €) — Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva Piave DOC from Italo Cescon and the Cabernet Franc "Microcosmo" from Agricola da Schio: more structure and personality, excellent for a special dinner.
- For collecting (40-95 €) — the single-varietal Cabernet Franc from Buvoli, also available in magnum: signature bottles for gifting or ageing.
You'll find all the up-to-date prices and the buy button in the listings above.
Other Venetian reds to discover
Keep exploring the Venetian reds in our catalogue: Pinot Nero, Amarone, Valpolicella, Ripasso, Merlot, Raboso del Piave and Refosco. Or browse all the red wines.