Chateau de Fesles, Cabernet Franc, 2016, Loire, France
This Chateau de Fesles Cabernet Franc is quite stunning. Theres plenty of ripe, soft, black fruit flavours. It’s dry, bold and not overly complex, meaning it’s an easy red to drink with or without food. Excellent with steak and a cheese board.. At £20 a bottle it’s very well priced.
Enrique Foster, Ique, Cabernet Franc, 2017, Mendoza, Argentina
This Cab Franc from Enrique Foster, Mendoza, Argentina is a bit different to the usual Cabernet Franc wines I drink. There’s the typical black fruit flavours with hints of tobacco and leather but it’s also very oaky and austere. The flavour hits the front palette and stops. It’s got reasonable length but at £15 a bottle it’s pricy for what it is. The wife on the other was very pleased so that’s a benefit.
Chateau De Targe, Clos de Moulin, Cabernet Franc, 2017, Loire Valley, France
Tried at the 40th anniversary of the Colchester Cellar Club this is Chateau De Targe Clos de Moulin is a very grown up Cabernet Franc. There’s the usual red fruit, plum, with oak and vanilla but it’s all very smooth, dry and structurally tight. It’s very good but you need food to get the best out of it and at £35 a bottle it’s not cheap. The cuvee Ferry Cabernet Franc that they do is better for me.
Zambartas, Rosé, 2017, Cyprus
This was quite a surprise, not so much that its from Cyprus as most countries have the ability to make excellent wine but that the flavour is so good.
Made with Cabernet Franc and Lefkada (I had not heard of that one before) its a deep red for a rosé, this is no weedy Provence rosé. Dry with light red fruit aromas, the surprise is the range of flavours, strawberries, raspberries, melon, cherry. Its a clean, fresh wine that really is a delight to drink. At £13 a bottle its not cheap but thats price for quality.
The Loire valley produce some of the world’s greatest Cabernet Franc and this Les Clos de la Seigneurie, Cabernet Franc is half decent. Not amazing but worth drinking. It’s very dry and there’s aromas of cherry and redcurrant with flavours of sour cherry that seem to take over from the other red fruit that’s there, it’s just there other flavours are too subtle. It’s cheap Cabernet Franc that’s drinkable and easy going with food, in our case steak and ale pie with veg in front of the Christmas tree.
Les Clos de la Seigneurie, Cabernet Franc, Loire, France
Burrowing Owl in the Okanagan Valley have a reputation of excellent wines and this Cab Franc underlines this.
Like many Cab Francs is dry, fairly acidic with a decent hit of tannins and a little jammy in taste.
This is a bold wine with aromas and flavours of blackberry, black cherry, plums and chocolate undernotes. Spice, tobacco, oak and earthy flavours make this an interesting wine, very good on its own, possibly excellent with food, esp lamb kebabs and BBQ ribs.
As with most canadian wines its not cheap at approx £30 a bottle.
Burrowing Owl, Cabernet Franc, 2012, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Made from Cabernet Franc this is a very good example of what can be done with the grape. With flavours of ripe strawberries candyfloss, red fruits and a creaminess. This has a crisp, dry finish and is lovely on its own or with fish and salad. At £12 a bottle it’s keenly priced.
Delaire Graff Cabernet Franc Rose from South Africa