392 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 78 PART 3 MAY 2020
SUMMERHILL ORGANIC CABERNET FRANC 2016
BC VQA Okanagan Valley #849885 $26.00 (approx.)
This wine is eighty-five per cent Cab Franc and fifteen per cent Cab Sauv.
The Cab Sauv portion was fermented in oak foudres (large wood vats), and
the wine spent 12 to 18 months in oak barrels. It is a mellow but fruity cab,
from its vibrant dark red colour through to the bright berries (raspberry, red
currant) and cherry on the nose, and in its similar flavours that are mixed
with some warm oak, notes of cocoa and sweet vanilla. The winery recommends
it with steak, pot roast, shepherd’s pie, anything from the grill, hard
cheeses or tomato-based pasta dishes. All good choices. We had it with a leg
of slow-cooked lamb. Again, it is available from the winery in-person or
online, or at private wine stores, including Everything Wine or the Save-On-
Foods wine section.
BORDERTOWN CABERNET FRANC 2017
BC VQA Okanagan Valley #237266 $19.99
This is the second vintage I have reviewed of this wine from an Osoyoos
winery. Deep blackish-purple in colour, it has a rich nose of black plum,
brambleberry and dark cherry with herbal notes. The palate displays round
tannins and black fruit, with green tobacco and bell pepper offset with bits
of vanilla and cocoa powder. A powerful wine, it has a 14.4 per cent alcohol
level and is made for steak or ribs on the BBQ, or osso buco or rich tomatobased
pastas.
ROBIN RIDGE CABERNET FRANC-MERLOT 2016
BC VQA Similkameen Valley #694141 $22.25
The grapes are organically grown on site at this smaller Keremeos-area winery.
It is a full-bodied big wine (fourteen per cent alcohol) with black currant,
raspberry, dark cherry and plum fruit, with some green notes of
tobacco and tea on the nose. The palate shows the same full fruit with lifted
tannins, cocoa powder, baking spice and some light oak on the long finish.
The winery suggests pairing it with roast chicken, beef, eggplant or duck,
all good choices. It can be found at private wine stores, including JAK’s or
in the wine section of Save-On-Foods, or ordered directly from the winery.
THE FOREIGN AFFAIR – THE CONSPIRACY 2016
VQA Niagara Peninsula, ON #212520 $19.99
While Ontario produces a lot of Cab Franc, very little gets to B.C. This was
the only option at the Kelowna LDB store. From a Vineland winery named