Winemaker Notes
This exclusive Cabernet Franc displays wild freshness with a hint of mint and spiced notes. Its complexity, bold structure and velvety finish convey the extreme conditions of the terroir.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A delicious red, showing cassis, currant bush, dark plums, fresh herbs, oyster shell and peppercorns. Full-bodied and very suave on the palate with round yet structured tannins. Drink in 2024.
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Wine Enthusiast
An intense black color is telling, as are aromas of blackberry, olive and charcoal. A giant palate is plush and tannic, while black fruit flavors explode alongside chocolate and toast. This is an excellent modern Cab Franc from Argentina and an example of why wineries like Norton are giving the grape its due. Drink through 2029.
Editors' Choice
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.