Rising Yarra Valley Cabernet Franc 2024

Not much Cabernet Franc is grown in Australia, so it’s always good to see a varietal version on the shelves, rather than just blended away. Like the Gamay and Pinot, it opens with a burst of ripe fruit but has a much different, more savoury, flavour profile: boysenberry, red cherry, black pepper, green capsicum. The tannins are drying and a bit grippy, and while the palate turns very savoury after a bit of air, the fruit returns with gusto on the second night, bringing everything together nicely and making for a very satisfying wine.