CRAMA BAUER | Cabernet Franc | 2018
cabernet franc

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Today we are going to review a single-varietal cabernet franc wine from the Dealurile Olteniei region – Cabernet Franc 2018 by Crama Bauer. The ‘other cabernet’ grape, cabernet franc is the parent grape for the two famous international varieties: cabernet sauvignon and merlot. It is less intense and softer than cabernet sauvignon and it ripens much earlier, while it is also much more resistant to winter cold and frost than merlot. One thing that makes cabernet franc unique is that it can’t hide its nature – it has always been a bit more peppery, more savory and leaner than its pedigree children, due to the higher levels of pyrazines inherited by the variety. This particular wine is made from hand picked grapes from the winemaker’s best sites, fermented only on wild yeasts without temperature control and is produced in a limited edition of only 3800 bottles. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: medium to pale ruby
clarity: hazy pomegranate shades

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & noble
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | blackberry | aronia berry
fruit character: overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | savory | earthy | other
__spice: red pepper | cloves | anise
__oak: lightly roasted oakwood | cigar box | sweet tobacco
__savory: capocollo | veal
__earthy: clay | loam | soil dust | rubber | sage
__other: liquorice | leather | oaktree bark | hints of violets
__wood: old / light roast

//Palate
sweetness: bone dry
acidity: med(+)
alcohol: high
tannin: medium
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: round | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: blue fruits & black fruits
fruit character: overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium+
aftertaste: velvety & seedy

//Scoring
CRAMA BAUER | Cabernet Franc | 2018
variety: cabernet franc
country: Romania
region: Dealurile Olteniei
rating: 93.3

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3-4 years
verdict: great | a must try
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This is definitely a great wine of Romania and, with a total of 93.3 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a very fine and delicate wine indeed – fruity-savory, velvety and rustic – a wine that is still developing, thus one that has yet to reach its prime form in about 3 or 4 years of bottle ageing. It tastes round, supple and rich, with lots of overripe black fruits in the foreground, supported by a mesmerizing savory bouquet in the background. The wine feels expressive and extremely appealing, with ripe tannins, crisp acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel. With its nuanced fruit-forward profile and that noble, rustic yet velvety finale, this is a fine example of how a terrior-driven wine can be crafted using tradition and technology. This is definitely a wine that has both, distinctive personality and the footprint of Oltenia terroir.
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