Veneto Cabernet: Sauvignon and Franc from small Veneto 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 Veneto Cabernet — 7 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 aren't mass-produced wines: every bottle comes from small Veneto producers — from the banks of the Piave to the Asolo hills, 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 6-bottle case for those buying in quantity.
Veneto Cabernet at a glance
Our Veneto Cabernet labels
The Cabernet labels available on VaiGustando, all from small Veneto producers. Click a wine for the full details and to buy.
Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc: the differences
They share a surname, but they are two different grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the offspring of a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. In the glass, you can tell them apart by their structure and aromatic nuances.
| Characteristic | Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Franc |
|---|---|---|
| Body and tannins | Full, firm tannins | Leaner, fine tannin |
| Typical aromas | Black currant, blackberry, minty and resinous notes | Berries, violet, green bell pepper |
| Acidity | Medium | Medium-high, fresh |
| Aging | Long (10+ years possible) | Medium; also excellent young |
| 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 a prized signature trait in Veneto and Friuli. If you're after power and aging potential, go for the Sauvignon; if you love freshness and elegance, the Franc is the one for you.
Single-varietal Cabernet Franc: a Veneto specialty
In the rest of the world Cabernet Franc is almost always a blending grape, Cabernet Sauvignon's partner in the classic Bordeaux blend. In Veneto — and in neighboring 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 appeal lies precisely in the trait that winemakers elsewhere try to correct: the green bell-pepper note, caused by pyrazines in the grape. In Veneto Cabernet 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 Cabernet Sauvignon, elegant and highly drinkable, yet never lacking in character.
In our selection, it comes from two very different wineries: Buvoli, a Vicenza "garage winery" whose single-varietal Franc is among the most sought-after (also in magnum), and Agricola da Schio with its Microcosmo from the Colli Berici, from sustainable farming: two ways of telling the story of the same grape, both deeply rooted in Veneto.
Cabernet in Veneto: areas 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 Piave River, home to softer, more approachable Cabernet, with Riservas built to age.
- Asolo Montello DOC — the Asolo hills, where Cabernet yields elegant, terroir-driven wines with more finesse than power.
- 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 well suited to Cabernet, with a sustainable, artisanal approach, on limestone soils with red clay: this is where Agricola da Schio's "Microcosmo" Cabernet Franc and Masiero Wine's "Preludio" Cabernet Sauvignon come from.
- Veneto IGT — the more flexible designation, often used for single-varietal Cabernet Franc and for signature labels.
All our Cabernets come from these areas of the Pedemontana Veneta and the Treviso plain: a corner of Italy that big mass-market retailers rarely cover in detail.
Tasting profile: how to recognize it in the glass
In the glass, Veneto Cabernet shows an intense ruby red that takes on garnet hues with age. On the nose, red and black fruit dominates — black currant, 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 a fresh acidity that makes it versatile at the table. The typical alcohol content is 12.5-14% ABV. Served properly, it is a red that combines drinkability and complexity.
One last note to help you find your way among the labels: the DOC designations (Piave, Breganze) indicate a defined area and strict production 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 longer aging and, generally, more structure.
Our Veneto Cabernet producers
Behind every label there is a real winery, with its own story and its own land. Here are the producers behind the Cabernets on this page:
- Italo Cescon (Piave, Treviso) — artisan winemakers on the banks of the Piave since 1957; they make the Cabernet Veneto IGT and the Riserva Piave DOC. Discover the winery →
- Buvoli (Vicenza) — a boutique "garage winery": its single-varietal Cabernet Franc is among the most sought-after, magnum included. Discover the winery →
- Firmino Miotti (Breganze, Vicenza) — a long winegrowing tradition on the volcanic hills of the Vicenza area. Discover the winery →
- La Caneva dei Biasio (Cendrole, between Castelfranco and Asolo) — terroir-driven wines at fair prices. Discover the winery →
- Agricola da Schio (Colli Berici) — sustainable farming and the Cabernet Franc "Microcosmo". Discover the winery →
- Masiero Wine (Colli Berici, Vicenza) — Mattia Masiero's project, between the vineyards of Mossano and the winery in Lumignano; the Cabernet Sauvignon "Preludio" is his first label, fermented with native yeasts and bottled unfiltered. Discover the winery →
Food pairings: what to eat with Cabernet
To understand what to drink Cabernet with, it helps to start with its structure: a red with noticeable tannin and a good backbone of acidity. The tannin needs fat and protein to lean on — this is why it is at its best with red meats and slow-cooked dishes, and it cuts through the richest food. The acidity, for its part, refreshes the palate and readies it for the next bite, even alongside rich sauces and braising juices. Then there is the aromatic signature: the herbaceous note of green bell pepper and Mediterranean scrub — pronounced in the Franc — pairs well with flavorful vegetables, herbs and oven-roasted dishes, where a purely fruity red would struggle. The one rule still holds: match the intensity of the wine to the intensity of the dish.
- Red meats, grilled or roasted
- Braises, pot roasts and stews, slow-cooked
- Game, furred and feathered
- Pasta with meat ragù
- 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. In the Asolo, Breganze and Berici hills — hunting country — it works with game, from guinea fowl to hare in salmì, and with Sunday roasts; for pasta courses, bigoli with duck ragù and pastas with meat sauce are a classic. Cabernet Franc, leaner and with that herbaceous streak, has pairings straight from Veneto that bring out its best: Treviso radicchio grilled or in risotto, whose slightly bitter edge plays off the wine's vegetal notes, and soppressa vicentina on a charcuterie board. With cheeses, let aging be your guide: Morlacco del Grappa or fresh Asiago for the lighter Francs, Asiago Stravecchio DOP or Montasio for the Sauvignons and the Riservas.
In short: single-varietal Franc goes with cured meats, flavorful white meats and dishes of medium intensity; the Sauvignon and the Riservas stand up to slow-cooked dishes, rich food and 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 such as Buvoli's Franc can evolve and improve for 8-10 years and beyond.
Vintages and aging: when to open it
Not every Cabernet needs the same amount of time. As a general rule, the more structured the wine, the more it gains from waiting — but each category has its own sweet spot:
- 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.
- Worth the wait (5-8 years) — the Superiore and Riserva versions and the more structured Cabernets, like Italo Cescon's Riserva Piave, Agricola da Schio's "Microcosmo" Franc or Masiero Wine's "Preludio" Cabernet Sauvignon (12 months in third-fill barriques): 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 color turns from ruby to garnet, the aromas become more tertiary (undergrowth, leather, spice) and the tannin feels softer on the palate. To keep your bottles in top shape until then, see how to serve and store.
Buying guide by price range
- Everyday (€10-15) — Cabernet DOC from La Caneva dei Biasio, Breganze Cabernet DOC from Firmino Miotti, Cabernet Veneto IGT from Italo Cescon: ready to drink, versatile, perfect for everyday drinking.
- Premium (€15-25) — Italo Cescon's Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva Piave DOC, Masiero Wine's "Preludio" Cabernet Sauvignon and Agricola da Schio's "Microcosmo" Cabernet Franc: 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 aging.
You'll find all the up-to-date prices and the buy button in the listings above.
Other Veneto reds to discover
Keep exploring the Veneto reds in our catalog: Pinot Nero, Amarone, Valpolicella, Ripasso, Merlot, Raboso del Piave and Refosco. Or browse all the red wines.