Rising Cabernet Franc 2023

90 POINTS – Wine Pilot, Shanteh Wale
“Concentrated blackberries, soft licorice and pomegranate juice. Turned potting soil, clove and cardamom. There is a purity of black fruit with pencil shavings, charcoal and vanilla pod. Astute acidity and a crunchy snap to the silty tannins. This is a classical take on the variety with restrained oak and an elegant medium palate weight. Built for drinking with dishes like charred lamb ribs, or meaty cutlets. Drink now and will cellar 2-3 years.” 29 April 2024

Bright raspberry red, with a splash of violet . On the nose: a wild red berry compote fresh from an overgrown, brambly tangle of strawberries and raspberry. Bluestone and a sanguine, ironstone character denote its mineral, savoury edge. The palate begins all fleshy, soft and plump, with blueberries and a tang of rhubarb at the fore, but fine chalky tannins flow gently into the uber-refined, slatey mineral finish we know and love. Theres no brutish burly-ness here; this one’s lithe and a little wild.