KISS GÁBOR | Code | Villányi Franc | 2017
cabernet franc

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Today we are going to review a single-varietal cabernet franc wine from the famous Villány region in the south of Hungary, a wine that has all the prerequisites to become legendary – Code Villányi Franc 2017 by Kiss Gábor. Infamously known as 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 (which is an aromatic organic compound). This particular wine is made out of selected french-clones of cabernet franc grapes from the Hajdús vineyard, aged in first-fill, 500-litre french barrels for 18 months and produced in a limited edition of only 7000 bottles. But enough theory, 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 ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & clean
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry | cranberry | red currant | red plum | pomegranate
__black fruits: blackberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | savory | earthy
__spice: red pepper | cloves
__oak: roasted oakwood | cherry tree wood | rooibos tea
__savory: leather | brown olive | capocollo
__earthy: brown soil | loam | clay | forest floor
primary layer: fruit

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: medium+
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: round & supple | medium+ body

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spice
finish: medium+
aftertaste: seedy-crisp

//Scoring
KISS GÁBOR | Code | Villányi Franc | 2017
variety: cabernet franc
country: Hungary
region: Villány
rating: 94.0

//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime | can age for another 2 to 4 years
verdict: great | a must try wine

//Prediction
RP rating: 91

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This is definitely a great wine of Hungary and, with a total of 94.0 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 supple and voluptuous cabernet franc wine, definitely one of the finest we’ve tasted so far: elegant, lean and noble – a wine that is right there, at the summit of its prime form, still one that can age for another 2 to 4 years in the bottle. It feels crisp, complex and slightly seedy, with a medium+ body, formed by elevated acidity, fine-grained tannic grip and just a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel – a very well structured wine that is mixing delicatness with finesse. On the nose the wine displays ripe and pure red fruit notes in the foreground, followed by a savory-earthy accent in the background and supported by a layer of spiciness and some subtle leathery hints in between. All in all, this is a very appealing and harmonious cabernet franc wine, with well preserved varietal characteristics of the grapes, enhanced by some noble savoriness and a terroir-driven, rustic delicacy. This is definitely a wine that has both, a distinctive personality and the footprint of the Villány terroir. Egészségére!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.