2014 Szekszárd Cabernet Franc - Takler Winery

Crunchy raspberry, fresh basil, wild marionberry. Dark cherry, green peppercorn, smushed strawberry. Tree bark and crunchy leaves, flakey rust and red clay. Pure, juicy, surprisingly high toned fruit ranging from cranberry to black raspberry sets a foundation for layers of herbaceousness and iron-rich earth. Thyme, acacia, paprika, and green chiles meld with poppies and wildflowers in a fresh and lifted bouquet. This 2014 Szekszárd Cabernet Franc by Takler Winery is gorgeous Loire-style Cab Franc from Hungary.

Cabernet Franc is a unique grape that can take on many forms depending on the climate and soil in which it grows. Some of the most interesting examples of pure varietal Cab Franc wines come from France's Loire Valley, where a continental climate and strenuous soil creates wines of distinct character. This bottling, crafted by Takler Winery using Cabernet Franc from the Szekszárd region of Hungary, possesses mainly similarities to the lighter styles of Loire Valley Cab Franc. It radiates clean fruit and pretty flowers up front, but ultimately this wine is driven by an unmistakably rustic old-world earthiness. It is medium in body with moderate tannin and acidity and possesses a clean, balanced, and unmanipulated feel. There are many grape varieties that grow well in Szekszárd and this wine proves Cabernet Franc is one of them. Available in the USA via PB Importers.