Cabernet Franc is notoriously green unless grown under the right conditions.  However, when you get it right, it sings with a smooth body, plenty of red fruit, hints of flowers, and chocolate notes.  When it’s underripe it tastes like a bell pepper got in a fight with an herb garden, and jumped some questionable strawberries for good measure.   With all that in mind, there aren’t a lot of Cab Francs on the market, so how does Trius Cabernet Franc 2014 land between the extremes?

Sight: A deep royal purple with magenta edges

Smell:  Spicy to start with lots of plums and jammy blackberries.  Cherries, currants, and raspberries all join in.  The nose is very ripe, and only small hints of herbs, like oregeno, come through.  Touches of vanilla and mocha float through.

Sip:  The body is lighter than the nose implies, but full of brightness and plenty of plums and blackberries (slightly on the underripe side) comes through. The wine is definitely leaned out, with the brightness coming into play more than the tannin, and with notes of vanilla and spice mixing with elements of slightly green notes.

Savor:  The ending is on the lighter side of tannic, with good elements of cherry and raspberry.

Overall, Trius Cabernet Franc is very well made, and properly ripened.  Good elements of spice and deep dark fruits all do well together, and the greenery doesn’t detract.  The body is also lively, which makes it happy for food pairings, both lighter and heavier.  While it could use a hint longer to ripen, Trius Cabernet Franc is a delicious choice.

Verdict:  Plums, Blackberries, Spice, Lean
Rating: 81
Price: $18 CAD
Niagara on the Lake, Canada