2006 Paracombe Cabernet Franc
Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Paracombe is a family winery in the cool climate Adelaide Hills wine region. A region that is characterised by picturesque rolling hills, often covered in orchards or vineyards. The combination of cool nights and gravelly soils means that the Paracombe vineyards are very low yielding and slow ripening. The result is concentrated wines such as this Cabernet Franc.
While Cabernet Franc is not rare in Australia, it is usually used to blend with Cabernet Sauvignon as it is in the Bordeaux region in France. This wine is a fine example of how good a straight Cabernet Franc can be. While it is often lighter in density than it’s offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon, this Cab Franc is a deep and inviting ruby purple and fuller bodied than you might expect.
Distinctively fragrant with blackcurrant, perfume, vanilla and some earthy spice characters, the nose has a slightly varietal herbaceousness at the finish. There has been careful oak barrel maturation which has left a delicious nuttiness to the blackberry and spice flavours. This wine has fine chalky tannins which are smooth and soft and a length that ‘toastily’ lingers.
It is already drinking well with 4 years on it, but another 5 years of bottle age will see some more savoury characters developing thanks to the screw cap.
A soft but rich wine with the texture and depth to make it an ideal food wine or one to enjoy by itself on a cool Autumn night. Try it with wild boar sausages and truffled mash.
Distribution: contact winery for distribution only 270 dozen bottled.
Value: $27.00
© Lisa Johnston March 2010
Wine Diva Wines of the Month, April 2010
