Cabernet Franc Carnival 2018 kicks off at Avontuur

Cabernet Franc is really taking its place in the limelight and hats off again to Avontuur for hosting one of the most intimate wine festivals again on Sat 19 May.
Organised by Cobie & Bjorn van Oort, the festival attracts real wine lovers - which was evident with the car park being packed by 11am when it opened!
I was pleased to get there early as I could work through most of the wines in a relatively short time and also engage with the wineries.
I was delighted to discover a new pink from Zevenwacht - really gorgeous and only just released. 2015 showed its promise across the board and the 2011 from Whalehaven was dark and delicious.

Clearly Cab Franc clearly does well in Stellenbosch, with Raats, Morgenster, Onderkloof, Zevenwacht, Whalehaven (vineyards at Idiom), producing excellent wines, but there are also a few from further away - Darling - where Razvan Macici is now making wine at Ormonde, and Paarl/Wellington with Druk my Niet, and Snow Mountain and Hermanuspieterfontein in Hermanus of course.
Kunjani was delighted to be there in the top 3 of the blend category, as a relative newcomer.

The Top Six Cab Francs are: Anthology Cabernet Franc 2015, Morgenster Cabernet Franc 2015, My Wyn Cabernet Franc 2015, Ondine Cabernet Franc 2014, Rainbow’s End Cabernet Franc Limited Release 2016 and Warwick Cabernet Franc 2015. 

The Top Three Blends are Alto Rouge 2016, Kunjani Red Blend 2015 and Morgenster Lourens River Valley 2011.  In the Vintage class Holden Manz wines were top of the list again with their Cabernet Franc Reserve 2013 and Ormonde Ondine Cabernet Franc 2014 richly deserves their special award for the Best Value Wine on show at only R95 per bottle