Free Form Cabernet Franc 2017

87POINTS

15^¾/20

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaFrom an organic vineyard in Kaleden, this cabernet franc was wild fermented and aged in a combination of clay amphorae and large oak vessels. Quite smoky and lifted out of the gate, there’s also some tobacco and dried herbs, but not a lot of fruit. The dense, grippy tannins dominant the palate at this point, no doubt a partial result of aging on its skins for eight months. It’s an interesting pour, but one that certainly needs a hearty protein at the dinner table. Drink now.Tasted: 06 August 2020Tasted by: Prices:

$44.90

750ml

winery online, hotels, restaurants

Producer: Haywire by Okanagan Crush PadDistributors: Le Sommelier Inc.
Renaissance Wine Merchants Ltd.
Grape: Cabernet FrancCSPC: 202849UPC: 626990325666

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89POINTS

16^¼/20

Free Form Cabernet Franc 2017

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaFree Form is now a standalone label put out by the folks at Haywire Winery. The philosophy, strictly enforced, makes low, to no intervention winemaking, to merely express an unadulterated, authentic view of the Okanagan. This franc comes off Esther Vineyard, a certified organic site in Kaleden, just south of the city of Penticton on the west side of the valley. It was whole bunch pressed into three young, large (3600L) barrels and two amphoras where it fermented with native yeasts until the following spring. After eight months of skin contact, the wine was pressed off and blended into a concrete tank where it settled naturally before bottling unfined and unfiltered in August 2018. The result is an inviting, juicy, pure red with strong links to plums dressed in dried herbs and licorice with a dry, leafy, fresh finish. There’s a minimum of tannin here that should melt away by late 2019. A mushroom burger would be an excellent match.Tasted: 06 December 2018Tasted by: Prices:

$44.90

750ml

winery online, hotels, restaurants

Producer: Haywire by Okanagan Crush PadDistributors: Le Sommelier Inc.
Renaissance Wine Merchants Ltd.
Grape: Cabernet FrancCSPC: 202849UPC: 626990325666

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88POINTS

16/20

Free Form Cabernet Franc 2017

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaFree Form is Haywire's stand alone, low / no intervention line of wines, intended as an honest, unadulterated view of the Okanagan. This cabernet franc is from Esther Vineyard in Kaleden, was whole bunch pressed into three young, large (3600L) barrels and two amphorae where it fermented with native yeasts until the following spring. After eight months of skin contact the wine was pressed off and blended into concrete tank where it settled naturally prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in August 2018. Juicy, youthful, and raw with downy plum, pitchy grip, and a sapid, green edge that rides to a snappy, balsamic finish. Tightly hugging that concrete texture, this fresh red is best taken with a chill.Tasted: 21 August 2018Tasted by: Prices:

$44.90

750ml

winery online, hotels, restaurants

Producer: Haywire by Okanagan Crush PadDistributors: Le Sommelier Inc.
Renaissance Wine Merchants Ltd.
Grape: Cabernet FrancCSPC: 202849UPC: 626990325666

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89/100Free Form Cabernet Franc 2019Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada