Supple and silky, this is a seductively delicious take on cabernet franc by Brad Hickey.
Lifted and fragrant nose, classic really, with peppery and leafy edges to the generous raspberry and dark-berried fruit, with violet and baked ginger spice accents. There’s a ripe and supple generosity to this, which carries through onto a silkily textured palate, but the variety sits front and centre, with peppercorn, raspberry leaf tea, cedar and crushed berry notes. The generosity to this is apparent but it’s gently expressed and not big by a stretch, with tannins certainly present, but they’re more creeping than assertive.
Often buried in blends, cabernet franc has its own distinct personality, from making wines that are plush and silkily elegant, to those peppery and fragrant. In Australia, it is finally peeking out from behind cabernet sauvignon and making its own mark.
While it couldn’t feel any more removed from city life, the McLaren Vale wine region is actually inside Adelaide’s metropolitan area. And although the township itself is only 40 minutes by car from central Adelaide and vineyards brush up against ever-encroaching housing, McLaren Vale remains unaffected by the urban sprawl. With deeply etched history, the Vale has a slow-paced sense of calm and an extraordinary wealth of untrammelled beauty. It is home to some of this country’s most beautifully pristine beaches, as well as some of the world’s most forward-thinking grape-growers and winemakers. And with over 80 cellar doors, it is an essential destination for wine lovers – and anyone else, for that matter.
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