All the medallists from the Global Cabernet Franc Masters 2025

Cabernet Franc may not always hog the limelight, but don't be fooled: this is a grape variety capable of greatness, says Siobhan Turner MW. CABERNET FRANC is a glorious, underrated grape variety. Its best expressions are floral, herbal, elegant, poised and delicious. It was a joy to taste most, nay, almost all of these wines and, for a Cab Franc specialist like me, a vindication to know that such diversity of good wine is being made from the grape. This year, four judges tasted 46 wines in total, hailing from nine different countries: Argentina (14); Canada, France, and the US (six apiece); Australia (four); Chile, Italy and South Africa (three each); and one from Romania. Winemaking was for the most part precise and skilled, though a couple were thrown out for easily avoidable faults. All of the Gold or higher medal winners had a lovely balance and elegance to them, but it is notable that the two Masters had alcohol in the 13% to 13.5% range, a beautiful sweet spot for Cabernet Franc that allows the perfect combination of ripeness and freshness. Those wines we tasted above 14.5% were, for the most part, much lower-scoring. Perhaps the lack of global cult status for Cabernet Franc means that only those who really love and can manage the grape well produce it, so it may not be surprising that, as with last year, the overall standard was extremely high. We awarded 14 Golds, one Master and one Grand Master (a newly introduced medal designed to indicate the most exceptional wine of the day). All countries had medal-winning wines, with all three of Italy’s submissions scoring Golds, and all at the higher price points. Argentina also did particularly well, bagging five Golds and a stunning Master from El Enemigo. Elegant and vibrant, the wine was an absolute joy to taste and very hard to spit. At £22, this also transpired to be the bargain of the day, although a close second was Domaine Bousquet’s Finca Lalande, also from Argentina, priced at £10.99.

GRAND MASTER

The Grand Master of the tasting, the wine that impressed most, was the 2019 vintage of Jade Moon from producer Hoosegg by Philip Shaw. The wine hails from Orange, one of Australia’s newest regions, located within New South Wales. The 2018 vintage of Jade Moon won a Master medal last year (and the same again this year) but the 2019 had that extra freshness and depth that really made it sing. Winemaker Philip Shaw’s precision and skill, together with the fabulous terroir of Orange, combine to make a stunning showcase of what fantastic vines, brilliant winemaking and a glorious grape can do together. Priced at £75, it is what an old friend of mine, a former Oddbins manager, would say was “a lot of money, but not expensive”. Definitely worth every penny.

Unoaked 100% Cabernet Franc

Winery	Name of Wine	Region	Country	Vint.	Medal
£10-£15
Domaine Bousquet	Finca Lalande	Uco Valley	Argentina	2024	Gold

Oaked 100% Cabernet Franc

Winery	Name of Wine	Region	Country	Vint.	Medal
£10-£15
Artisan Winery	Gravor	Arad	Romania	2022	Silver
£15-£20
Susana Balbo	Benmarco	Uco Valley	Argentina	2022	Gold
Pillitteri Estates Winery	Carretto	Ontario	Canada	2020	Silver
Susana Balbo	Crios	Uco Valley	Argentina	2022	Silver
Château Maine Gazin	Cabernet Franc	Bordeaux	France	2022	Bronze
Paradise Rescued	B1ockOne	Bordeaux	France	2016	Bronze
£20-£30
Bodega y Viñedos Mauricio Lorca	Poetico	Uco Valley	Argentina	2023	Gold
Tagaris	Cabernet Franc	Washington State	USA	2020	Silver
Achaval Ferrer	Cabernet Franc	Mendoza	Argentina	2022	Silver
£30-£50
Bodega Dante Robino	Gran Dante	Gualtallary	Argentina	2023	Gold
Kaiken	Frankly	Uco Valley	Argentina	2021	Silver
Kautz & Kramer	Sheldon Ranch, Block 72	Lodi	USA	2021	Silver
Backsberg	Patriarch	Stellenbosch	South Africa	2022	Silver
Sur Andino Argentina	Aluvia	Mendoza	Argentina	2022	Silver
Château de Coulaine	Chinon Clos de Turpenay	Loire	France	2020	Bronze
Pulenta Estate	Gran Cabernet Franc	Mendoza	Argentina	2020	Bronze
£50-£70
Hickinbotham	The Nest	McLaren Vale	Australia	2021	Gold
Bodega Puerta del Abra	Insólito	Balcarce	Argentina	2020	Silver
Warwick Estate	Cabernet Franc	Stellenbosch	South Africa	2021	Silver
£70-£100
Hoosegg by Philip Shaw	Jade Moon	Orange	Australia	2019	Grand Master
Hoosegg by Philip Shaw	Jade Moon	Orange	Australia	2018	Gold
Bodega y Viñedos Mauricio Lorca	Inspirado Caberent Franc	Uco Valley	Argentina	2021	Silver

Ice Wine

Winery	Name of Wine	Region	Country	Vint.	Medal
£30-£50
Pillitteri Estates Winery	Family Reserve Cabernet	Franc Ontario	Canada	2019	Bronze

Oaked Cabernet Franc Blend

Winery	Name of Wine	Region	Country	Vint.	Medal
£10-£15
Pillitteri Estates Winery	Carretto Cabernet Merlot	Ontario	Canada	2019	Bronze
£15-£20
VIK	A Cabernet Franc	Cachapoal Valley	Chile	2023	Gold
Terre à Terre	Crayères Vineyard	Limestone Coast	Australia	2022	Gold
The Drift Estate	Ghost in the Machine Cabernet Franc	Western Cape	South Africa	2022	Silver
Ironstone Vineyards	Cabernet Franc	Lodi	USA	2022	Silver
Calcu	Tiny Blocks Cabernet Franc	Colchagua Valley	Chile	2023	Silver
£20-£30
El Enemigo	Cabernet Franc	Mendoza	Argentina	2022	Master
Doña Paula	Altitude 1350	Mendoza	Argentina	2022	Gold
Viña Maquis	Revela Cabernet Franc	Colchagua Valley	Chile	2023	Silver
£30-£50
Mission Hill Family Estate	Terroir Cabernet Franc	British Columbia	Canada	2022	Gold
Ironstone Vineyards	Estate Grown Reserve Cabernet Franc	Sierra Foothills	USA	2021	Silver
£50-£70
Fattoria Villa Saletta	Saletta Giulia	Tuscany	Italy	2019	Gold
£70-£100
Heir Apparent Winery	Spring Mountain District Cabernet Franc	Napa Valley	USA	2019	Gold
£100+
Gallica	Cabernet Franc	Oakville	USA	2019	Gold