British Columbia, CanadaLillooet's Fort Berens Reserve version of the 2017 cabernet franc offers a deep raspberry colour, and potent nose of dried cherry, raisin and cherry cola with oak spice, vanillin, graphite and toasted coconut on full display. Several sips reveal powerful dark black and red fruit, boosted by partial drying of some of the grapes. Just as it does for Venetian wines, the appassimento process notches up the concentration, softens quite firm tannins, and focuses fruit and acid. Fresh grapes and partially dried fruit are fermented together in large open topped oak fermenters, then aged for a further ten months in French and American oak. Definately sweetly riper and more potent than the charming non-reserve, but this is a sucessfully made wine, with more than ample BC character and juicy balance. It will continue to open up for a few more years, and needs a wedge of aged cheese and rosemary focaccia, preferably beside a roaring fire.Tasted: 31 October 2019Tasted by: Prices:
BC
$31.99
750ml
private wine stores
Producer: Fort Berens Estate WineryDistributors: The Drinks List Grape: Cabernet FrancCSPC: 137604UPC: 626990106265
British Columbia, CanadaAlways a bump up in quality from the white label range, and this year's Reserve Cabernet Franc is no exception. From the winery's Lillooet estate Dry Creek Vineyard, a portion of these grapes were vinified to raisins in apassimento style, with grapes airdried to increase concentration. After fermentation and pressing, this aged in a mix of French and American oak for 10 months. The result is a plush, soft, dark chocolate and kirsch hewn red, with pokes of franc's inherent herbal greenness punctuating the flow, and lingering on the finish. Drink this now, with richer tomato pasta dishes.Tasted: 03 December 2019Tasted by: Prices:
BC
$31.99
750ml
private wine stores
Producer: Fort Berens Estate WineryDistributors: The Drinks List Grape: Cabernet FrancCSPC: 137604UPC: 626990106265
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