NOVAK | Cabernet Franc | 2020
cabernet franc

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Today we are are going to review a single-varietal cabernet franc wine from the famous Valul lui Traian wine region of Moldova – Cabernet Franc 2020 by Novak Winery. The ‘other cabernet’ grape variety, cabernet franc is the parent grape for the two famous international varieties: cabernet sauvignon and merlot. It is less intense and a bit softer than cabernet sauvignon and it ripens much earlier, while it is also 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’s DNA. This wine is part of the winemaker’s flagship ‘Black Label’ wine range, thus produced in a limited edition of 6500 bottles and aged in oak barrels in order to gain more structure and complexity. But enough with all that 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-deep ruby color
clarity: hazy purple shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & dusty
fruit profile: black fruits | jam fruits
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | blackberry | aronia berry
__jam fruits: blue plum | blueberry jam | blackberry jam
fruit character: overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: peppercorn | tonka seeds
__oak: black tea | sun-dried oak | oaktree bark | saw dust
__earth: dust | black soil | pencil lead
primary layer: fruity-earthy

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: medium+
alcohol: medium+
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: ample | medium

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: dust & earth
finish: medium
aftertaste: seedy-tart

//Scoring
NOVAK | Cabernet Franc | 2020
variety: cabernet franc
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 92.7

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 2 or 3 more years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 92.7 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 crisp, ample and grippy cabernet franc wine, with an rich, nose that is showing a very nuanced, dusty, fruity-earthy accent and a well structured palate. The wine is still in its development phase, but quite close to the peak of its form, therefore we would recommend to either drink it today or give within the next 2 or 3 years, just make sure you don’t overdo it, as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine displays overripe black fruits mixed with a very nuanced dusty accent in the foreground, followed by earthy and oaky notes in the background. On the palate this wine delivers exuberant acidity, seedy tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a seedy-tart aftertaste. All in all this is a quite youthful, grippy yet nicely balanced cabernet franc wine, that in its current state lacks some harmony and finesse on the palate and that much desired, terroir-driven, rustic delicacy that made cabernet franc so famous in the last decade. In order to counter-balance some of the rough edges in the wine and enhance the expressivity provided by those nuanced, dusty-oaky flavours in the wine, we would suggest to pair it with spicy or barbequed meats, like for example a rosemary-garlic flank steak, a skillet steak with bourbon sauce or a peppercorn-crusted tomahawk steak. Enjoy!

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