THE OTHER CABERNET
Explore these six Australian cabernet francs for deliciously versatile and food-friendly wines.
2 0 1 7 HEMERA E STAT E L I MI T E D RELEASE CABERNET FRANC
Winemaker: Jason Barrette
This wine has lifted aromatics of choc mint, cherry cola, freshly cut tobacco and red liquorice. It has a flood of red fruits and baking spices, framed by fine-grained cedary tannins and fine acid line.
Where does your passion come from for this variety? Cabernet franc is a variety I first worked with 10 years ago in Santa Barbara, California. I produced a couple of different styles, from whole-cluster stainless-steel matured “Chinon” styles to traditional oak-aged full-bodied examples. How do you explain this wine to people
who are yet to try it? Being naturally high in acid (it’s our last grape to pick at vintage), it can partner with a wide range of foods, especially those cooked low and slow on the barbecue. We always have it on tasting at our cellar door – it’s a staff favourite! $60, hemeraestate.com.au @hemeraestate
20 1 7 ST L EONARDS V I NEYARD CABERNET FRANC
Winemaker: Nicholas Brown
St Leonards Vineyard Cabernet Franc produces a distinctly light and savoury style, with wonderful lifted aromas of red fruit and dried herbs. It is well balanced with zippy acidity, lively fruit and a hint of oak.
Where does your passion come from for this variety? Cabernet franc has been growing at St Leonards Vineyard for more than 35 years and does particularly well in the sandy loam soils. It’s a family favourite for its distinctive savoury characters, and is also a versatile variety used successfully in our rosé. How do you explain this wine to people
who are yet to try it? With its fine velvety texture, light body and berry flavours, this wine is perfect for all seasons and very versatile. It is best suited to foods with herbal characters rather than rich red meat, such as veal or roasted poultry, and other dishes with rosemary, sage or thyme. $32, stleonardswine.com.au @stleonardswine
2015 PARACOMBE CABERNET F R ANC ADELAIDE HI L LS
Winemaker: Paul Drogemuller
Fresh, bright and alluring, this wine is medium-bodied with elegant tannins.
The savoury notes, red fruits and forest floor characters complement and support many game dishes. The wine also has great ageing potential.
What can you tell us about your cabernet
franc? It was one of the first grapes we planted on our 1.7-billion-year-old plateau in 1983. The fruit is low-yielding and fermented in small open tanks, before maturing in aged French oak for 18 months, where the wine fairy weaves its magic during malolactic fermentation in barrel. How do you explain this wine to people
who are yet to try it? It pairs well with game, antipasto or poultry, or simply for sharing with friends. Its ageability is incredible, bringing subtle jubes, mushroom and red fruit flavours for a 15- to 25-year period. $30, paracombewines.com @paracombewines
2018 ROSS HILL PINNACLE CABERNET FRANC
Winemaker: Luke Steele
Classically fragrant and vivacious for its age, this wine‘s cinnamon, cherries and raspberry liqueur aromatics increase as the wine opens in the glass. Vine age, a beautiful season and winemaking form a formidable combination.
Where does your passion come from for
this variety? When the first winemaker for Ross Hill visited the Griffin Road Vineyard site, he suggested it would be perfect to grow cabernet franc. This has proven to be correct, and is now one of our benchmark wines. It is a pleasure to make as the fruit does most of the work. How do you explain this wine to people
who are yet to try it? Cabernet franc’s key characteristic is its attractive perfumed nose, often with blackcurrant and violets. This cabernet franc has some lovely herb flavours, generous weight and remains long in the mouth, with a slightly chalky finish. $45, rosshillwines.com.au @rosshillwines
2018 J S WINE RESERVE CABERNET FRANC
Winemaker: Philip Shaw
This vibrant, fresh and medium-bodied style has violets and red berry fruit aromas. Charry oak notes add to the complexity, length and flavour profile, mingling with silky but prominent finishing tannins in the background.
How do you approach the production of this wine? Cabernet franc is a variety with great heritage in Australia. Our fruit is handpicked and carefully selected from premium low-yield vines, and we were stunned by the freshness, density and finesse of the batches in the 2018 vintage. We aged half of it in French new oak. How do you explain this wine to people
who are yet to try it? Our 2018 Reserve Cabernet Franc won a gold medal in the National Wine Show late last year. This is a vintage to be enjoyed now with friends, but will definitely benefit from further ageing as well. A hint of smoke and tobacco characters will work well with any char-flavoured dish.
jswine.com.au
2015 ISLANDER ESTATE THE INVESTIGATOR CABERNET FRANC
Winemaker: Jacques Lurton
This wine is big and spicy with round red fruits and firm tannins, but still shows a supple, soft character. The mouthfeel is well rounded with no one part dominating.
Where does your passion come from for
this variety? Jacques Lurton was raised near the Bordeaux village of Saint Emilion, where cabernet franc flourishes. Jacques believed the variety would do well on Kangaroo Island, where the climate is nearly perfect for it. The long growing season ensures plentiful dark red fruit characteristics and less vegetal notes.
The finished wine is elegant with finesse. How do you explain this wine to people
who are yet to try it? Jacques’ vision is to show cabernet franc’s true potential, and it has been realised in The Investigator. This is a fantastic way to discover what cool-climate cabernet franc has to offer. $150, iev.com.au @islanderestate