1000 DE CHIPURI | Cabernet Franc | 2020
cabernet franc

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Today we are going to review a single varietal cabernet franc wine from the famous Dealu Mare region, which is Romania‘s most famous wine growing area for red wines – Cabernet Franc 2020 Fintesti by 1000 de Chipuri. 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) inherited by the variety’s DNA. In order to gain more structure and complexity and, at the same time to infuse some authenticity, this wine has been aged only in romanian oak barrels and produced in a limited edition of 2740 bottles. 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: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & oaky
fruit profile: black fruits | dried fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | aronia berry | blackberry
__dried fruits: dried black cherry | dried black plum
fruit character: ripe | overripe | dehydrated

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: nutmeg | anise | peppercorn | tonka seeds
__oak: charred wood | roasted oakwood | vanilla | chocolate | coffee | tobacco
__earth: dust | black soil | graphite | tar
primary layer: fruit & oak

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: medium+
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: firm & bold

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: oak | spice | earth
finish: medium
aftertaste: seedy-hot

//Scoring
1000 DE CHIPURI | Cabernet Franc | 2020
variety: cabernet franc
country: Romania
region: Dealu Mare | Fintesti
rating: 92.8

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 5 more years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Romania and, with a total of 92.8 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 firm, rich and a bit rough cabernet franc wine, with a fruit-forward profile on the nose and a slightly angular mouthfeel. The wine is still in its development phase, therefore we would recommend to age it for at least 3 more years in order to allow the wine develop further complexity and round up its sharp edges, as the potential is clearly there, just make sure you don’t overdo it. On the nose the wine brings ripe, overripe and dehydrated black fruits mixed with some very nuanced oaky notes in the foreground, followed by an expressive spicy background and a subtle earthy layer in between. On the palate the wine delivers crisp acidity, ripe and grippy tannins and quite a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a seedy-hot aftertaste. All in all, this is an ample, oaky and slightly off-balanced cabernet franc wine, vinified in an expressive, new-world style – a wine that in its current state lacks elegance and finesse on the palate. Nevertheless, this is still a very nuanced and enjoyable wine that will pair nicely with spicy meats, like for example a grilled T-bone steak or a barbequed rib-eye steak. Enjoy!

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