Southern hemisphere Cabernet Franc: Panel tasting results

Known as the ‘First Lady’ of the South African wine industry, Warwick’s Norma Ratcliffe was one of the first women to make wine in the country – in the late 1970s – and was the first to bottle a single-varietal Cabernet Franc, in 1988. Winemaking is now headed by JD Pretorius. This wine is from the 1.2ha Block 7, also known as Brick Road Block, planted at 260m on deep, rich oakleaf soil (clay loam with decomposed granite). It was matured for 23 months in 40% new French oak. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Vibrant, youthful, well defined. Intense, ripe dark fruits and oaky spices. Generous, concentrated fruit, a silky texture and overt oaky notes. Modern, delicious. Eugenio Egorov: Mature nose of blackberries, prunes and blueberry jam. Hints of dried rose petals, leather, sweet tobacco and vanilla spices. Well-balanced alcohol. Roger Jones: Savoury, with fresh, herbaceous tones, pomegranate, blackcurrant. Soothing but spiced mid-palate. Cool Breton style. Clean finish with great balance. Classy.

Andeluna is owned by the Barale family, whose focus is on producing high-quality, terroir-driven wines. Head winemaker Jimena López has worked 32 harvests in at least seven countries globally. The winery is situated in Gualtallary at 1,300m, where 70ha of vineyards thrive under significant diurnal temperature shifts. Grapes for this wine were hand harvested and underwent cold pre-fermentation maceration. The wine was aged in new (50%), first-use (25%) and second-use (25%) French oak barrels for 12 months, then in bottle for a minimum of eight months. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Forest fruits, chocolate, cedar and sweet spices. Palate shows a harmonious structure and lovely savoury notes on the finish. Superb and delicious. Eugenio Egorov: Black fruits and hints of lavender, bell peppers, grilled meat, cigar and vanilla on the nose. The palate is fresh and linear with great complexity. Roger Jones: Gently savoury, elegantly perfumed nose. Dark and blue berries, violets and cocoa pods. A touch dry on the finish, but great texture and tannins.

Pablo Ceverino is responsible for managing Casarena’s 140ha of vineyards, while winemaking is overseen by Agustín Alcoleas. This Cabernet Franc comes from a single parcel situated in Agrelo at 918m. It’s named after the granddaughter of the founders. Fruit is hand harvested, with rigorous selection; diligent winemaking protocols are designed to reveal maximum aromatic intensity, which is enhanced by judicious ageing in French oak barrels for 12 months. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Attractively perfumed, inviting. Ripe red fruits, undergrowth, chocolate and sweet spices. Excellent fruit concentration, a silky structure and a delicious, persistent finish. Eugenio Egorov: Mature nose of black fruits with sweet tobacco, spices and bell pepper. Structured palate with well-integrated tannins and balanced alcohol. Roger Jones: Refined, elegant. A spiced, herbaceous note is balanced by fine shots of pure berry excellence. Will age gracefully.

This trellised vineyard in the Bottelary hills was planted in 2004 with the CF1 Cabernet Franc clone on decomposed granite soils. At 225m, the site is 16.5km north of False Bay and 22.5km east of Table Bay, so the ocean has a significant climatic impact on the vines. The resulting low yields consist of small bunches with great concentration and structure. Fruit for the 2023 was destemmed and gravity fed into tulip-shaped concrete fermenters, then the wine matured for 11 months in 1,000-litre French oak vats. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Ethereal and seductive. Ripe forest fruits, delicate herbal notes. Polished and delicious, with silky tannins. Great fruit concentration and harmony. Eugenio Egorov: Nose of plums, blackberries and figs with hints of herbs, leather and spices. Elegant palate with good fruit extraction and freshness. Roger Jones: Juicy, concentrated, primary. Ripe fruit-driven, tobacco, liquorice, violets, cedar and spice. Quite chunky but appealing, with a fresh vibrancy.

Set up in 1987 by Alan Nelson, the winery is now under the leadership of his daughter Lisha Nelson. The vineyards are located between the Paarl and Perdeberg mountains in a sub-region known as Agter Paarl. Here, the icy Benguela current, flowing northward along the west coast of Africa, breathes streams of cool air into the valley at night, the effects of which combine with the soils’ granite structure to give a crunchy mineral depth to Lisha’s minimal-intervention wines. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Graceful and delicately perfumed. Aromas of forest fruits, wet earth, graphite and dried herbs; hints of sweet spices. Sophisticated structure. Harmonious, with a delicious, savoury finish. Eugenio Egorov: Nose offers mature notes of blackcurrant, blueberry and prune with hints of balsamic, herbs, smoked meat and tobacco leaf. Lean palate with good structure and complexity. Roger Jones: This has evolved well, delivering a beautifully structured wine that’s ready to enjoy now but will also benefit from further ageing. Precision, purity, elegance, seamless.

The 28ha Pyren vineyard was founded by brothers Brian and Kevyn Joy in 1999 in the Warrenmang valley, in western Victoria’s Pyrenees GI. The estate is now run by Brian’s son Leighton, whose preferred winemaking techniques include both wild yeast fermentation and carbonic maceration. The winery is situated next to the vineyard to ensure the freshness of the fruit. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Evolved colour. Fragrant and inviting. Forest fruits, pomegranate and sweet spices. Palate is light but very intense. Finish is persistent, refreshing and simply delicious. Eugenio Egorov: Nose of blackcurrant and blackberry with hints of eucalyptus, leather and cedar. Lean, developed palate with polished tannins, complexity and linearity. Roger Jones: Fruit-forward with lovely aromas of toasted damson, wood chips, barbecue, thyme, herbs, cocoa and dark raspberry. Unique, with great character.

Founded in 2000, Raats Family Wines was among the first South African producers to specialise in Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Founder and winemaker Bruwer Raats, a Cab Franc fan, planted vineyards in the Polkadraai Hills, where the decomposed granite soils at 300m-400m on Vlaeberg mountain, about 13km from False Bay, provide excellent cool conditions, allowing the variety to ripen with great acidity and lower alcohol. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the 2022 spent 18 months in 30% new French oak. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Classy, refined. Aromas of blackberry, cedar, herbs and spices. The palate combines good fruit concentration with savoury complexity. Eugenio Egorov: Aromas of dried fig, plum and black cherry with hints of smoked beef, violet and tobacco leaves. Elegant, linear palate with good freshness. Roger Jones: Classic. Lovely balance of cool savoury notes and ripe, focused fruit. Delicate grilled plum. A seamless, lingering style. Will age beautifully.

This winery, founded by Felipe Rutini in 1885 and originally known as Bodega La Rural, is one of the most traditional in Mendoza. Mariano di Paola is winemaking director and has been with the company since 1994. In 2025, Juan Pablo Murgia joined as head of winemaking. A move towards gentler extraction and less use of oak has been noted in recent years and the style has been evolving towards more subtlety and elegance. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Seductive aromas of forest fruits, cedar, wet earth, herbs and spices, then the palate offers an abundance of fruit combined with a sophisticated structure and a pleasant, persistent finish. Eugenio Egorov: Mature notes of dried prune, fig and blackberry on the nose. Hints of bell pepper, violet, cured meat, crushed granite and tonka beans. Beautifully complex, elegant palate with lively acidity. Roger Jones: Beautifully balanced, giving that Breton style. Gentle spices, elegant fruit, dark aromatics. Cocoa/spice/mocha then bilberry and blueberry.

Nestled in the lee of the Teviotdale hills, the Bone Line vineyard is situated deep in the Waipara Valley, north of Christchurch. Fruit for this wine is sourced from the estate’s amphitheatre-shaped Block 1 terrace, from own-rooted vines that were 32 years old at the time of this vintage, growing on deep alluvial loams over gravel. Matured in French oak (just 8% new) for 11 months, prior to final assemblage and a further seven months in seasoned oak. Bottled unfined and lightly filtered. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Nose combines dark fruits with jam, baking spices, violet, tar and earthy notes. Palate shows positive evolution and delicious peppery notes. Eugenio Egorov: Deep nose of dark fruits: prune, blackcurrant and blackberry. Hints of dried violet, leather, pencil lead and sweet tobacco. Palate has good structure and elegance. Roger Jones: Rich, opulent and forward. Fully ripe flavours, with cedar, bacon, spice and granite notes. Herbaceous and dark fruited with some raspberry essence. This has evolved very nicely.

Lauri Viana, the Brazilian-born founder of Viana Wines, enjoyed car-racing in his younger years and adrenaline seems to be part of this boutique winery’s DNA. The Uco Valley vineyards for this wine sit at 1,100m. Grapes are picked by hand and undergo cold maceration and temperature-controlled fermentation with selected yeasts. The wine is aged for 24 months in new French oak barriques. Winemaking is under the supervision of consultant Michel Rolland. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Restrained but inviting nose of ripe dark fruits, violet, dark chocolate, spices and dried herbs. Excellent concentration, a sophisticated, silky texture and smooth tannins. Eugenio Egorov: Dried fig, prune and maraschino cherry on the nose, hints of leather, coffee, sweet tobacco and vanilla. Good acidity and complexity. Roger Jones: Intense, lovely dark fruit and savoury balance. A seductive, dark wine full of class. Drinking well, but is it closing down a bit?

Maraschino cherry, dried plum and blackberry, lifted by violet, bell pepper, cigar box, leather and cayenne. Fresh, linear palate with polished tannins and bright acidity; layered fruit and savoury elegance.

Dried fig, black cherry, raspberry, blackberry and blood orange. Cedar, eucalyptus, leather, sweet tobacco and tonka add lift. Bright, focused palate with pure dark fruit, savoury spice and a granite edge.

Complex dried plum, cherry and fig nose, crushed gravel, bell pepper, tobacco leaf, vanilla. Silky yet focused, fine balance of savoury and fruit. Bright, cool spice and a granite edge.

Blackcurrant, plum and blackberry; eucalyptus, leather and cedar adding lift. Brooding dark fruit with pomegranate essence and savoury spice. Polished tannins, firm structure, piercing freshness.

Ripe black fruits with touches of tobacco, leather, cedar and sweet spice. Brambles, dried herbs and savoury meat notes add depth and refinement. Fresh acidity, textured palate with polished tannins.

Blackcurrant, dried plum, fig and maraschino cherry; violet, leather, gravel, tobacco and vanilla adding depth. Bright, vibrant palate with intense berries, savoury spice and granite. Finely composed.

Blackberry, plum and blackcurrant, sweet tobacco, leather, violet and vanilla spice. Juicy dark fruit, cedar, spice and damson jam. Layered with mineral tones, savoury complexity and a long finish.

Gentle and perfumed with mature red fruits, tobacco, leather and vanilla. Fresh spice and violets lift a linear palate of cranberry, pomegranate and raspberry. Juicy, silky and refined.

Mature black fruits, smoked meat, herbs, vanilla and sweet tobacco. Rich yet elegant palate with fresh acidity, polished tannins and seamless oak. Lingering fruit, refined structure and impressive balance.

Perfumed with dried plum, maraschino cherry and blackcurrant; violet, herbs, granite and cigar box adding depth. Bright, savoury palate with layered dark berries, cool menthol and polished structure.

Elegant and subdued with mature black fruits, prune, black cherry and blackberry; dried rose, leather, sweet tobacco and vanilla spice adding depth. Gentle spice and fine berry layers on a cool, restrained palate.

Elegant and pure with blackcurrant, plum and black cherry. Violet, leather, cedar and gentle tobacco add lift. Linear with precise dark fruit and fine tannins. Clean, savoury and impressively composed.

Youthful with blackcurrant, black cherry and plum; cedar, violet and vanilla spice adding lift. Juicy damson and hedgerow herbs, soft tannins, cocoa and mineral freshness. Elegant and harmonious.

Vivacious black cherry, plum and blackcurrant; tarragon, violet, tomato leaf, cigar and tonka adding lift. Luscious with herbal freshness, fine cedar and cocoa. Vibrant, complex and varietally pure.