Caladan Caladan 2016 750ml

This is a sneak peek at the new (only the second release) Cabernet Franc-based Cardinale wine! Blended of 81% Cabernet Franc and 19% Merlot, the 2016 Cabernet Franc is medium to deep garnet-purple colored with crushed black cherries, redcurrants and kirsch with hints of damp soil, pencil shavings, rose hip tea and lavender. Medium to full-bodied with a firm backbone of grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, it delivers bags of perfumed fruit and a long mineral-laced finish. 500 cases produced.

The 2016 Caladan is a new Cabernet Franc-based wine from Cardinale made with the same principles as the flagship, meaning that winemaker Chris Carpenter has the freedom to draw across the Jackson family’s vast range of vineyard sites in crafting the blend. Dark, dense and voluptuous in the glass, the Caladan certainly has plenty of richness. It would be nice to see a little more Franc character, especially in the aromatics, as that is such a large part of what makes Franc so distinctive. I can’t wait to see what future vintages look like.