Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Benchmark Series Cabernet Franc 2019

Deborah Podurgiel WSET IV Candidate rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

From Township 7, Benchmark Series Cabernet Franc (2019) is a beautiful single-varietal, multi-layered and concentrated Cab Franc from a lucky vintage. Lucky in that the season started off with an unseasonably warm January, followed by a bitter cold February resulting in quite a bit of bud damage which ultimately resulted in lower yields. April was cool, while May and June were the second hottest in two decades. While it was a sunny, smoke-free summer with few heat spikes, winter conditions caused primary, secondary and tertiary buds to experience budbreak at different times. September was cool and wet resulting in lower sugar levels in the grapes, but the silver lining was that it also allowed tannins to develop. October was drier and moderate right up until Thanksgiving when a wicked frost struck many of the vineyards in Osoyoos and, while a lot of vines shed their leaves, most sites avoided frost damage and grapes were able to hang well into October. In short, it was a grape harvest roller coaster ride.

But back to this Cabernet Franc which is showing so much finesse. Fresh with aromas of crushed raspberry, mint and dark cherry compote, the wine is dry, medium-plus bodied with ripe black raspberry, cherry, chocolate, meaty and spicy flavours and spot on acidity, fresh, supple and silky on the palate. Tannins are fine and firm right now but will relax given a bit of time, and it is so worth the time. Good now but it can easily hold three-plus years. Aged mostly in French oak barrels with some American oak (20% new oak) for 24 months. Tasted December 2022.