2023 Brash Higgins FRNC Cabernet Franc

Brash/Brad with another leading example of modern Australian Cabernet Franc!

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Description

Few wines in Australia have championed Cabernet Franc quite like Brash Higgins’ FRNC. From its first release, this wine has been at the forefront of the modern, fresh, and vibrant Cabernet Franc movement, proving just how exciting this variety can be in McLaren Vale’s unique terroir.

The 2023 vintage delivered ideal growing conditions with an even season and small berry set, leading to excellent concentration and balance. Sourced from a high ridge of an ancient sand dune in McLaren Flat, the fruit was handpicked, wild fermented, and left on skins for five weeks, before ageing for 15 months in old French oak to preserve aromatics and purity.

What we're left with in the glass is a translucent violet hue with a nose that leaps from the glass - jalapeño, alpine herbs, violets, and roasted bell pepper all swirl together, underpinned by rose petals and mulberry. The palate is silky and mouth-filling, with pure, ripe fruit, subtle spice, and papery tannins that glide into a long, smooth finish.

A Loire-inspired yet uniquely Australian take on Cabernet Franc, this is bright, fragrant, and dangerously drinkable - but with enough structure to age beautifully. It disappears fast every year, so don’t wait too long.

100% Cab Franc grown along a high ridge of an ancient sand dune and made at Brash HQ. Vintage 2023 provided top growing conditions with an even season punctuated by small berry set. Yields were quite good for this vineyard and we made 380 cases. The idea for this FRNC was to focus on the aromatics and vibrancy of the fruit.

“A translucent violet in colour. The nose is lifted, aromatic, brooding with jalapeno and alpine herbs. There is roasted bell pepper, violets, ashes, rose petals, mulberry on the palate. Balanced and deep, the wine has a luscious, pure mouth feel and a long smooth finish with papery tannins.”-Brad Hickey, Vinitor, September 10, 2024.



Additional Information
Harvest date: March 6, 2023
Vineyard: Sands, McLaren Flat, Foggo Road
Grower: Martin Lightfoot
Planted: 1988
Soil: Cracking black clay
Viticulture: Sustainable
Fermenter type: open one ton, wild yeast
Maceration: five weeks
Cap Management: hand plunged twice daily
Time in oak: Fifteen months
Oak origin/age: 100% French, eight year old hogsheads
Bottled: November 19, 2024
Closure: Stelvin
pH 3.6, TA 6.4 g/l, alc 13.4%

190 cases

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Cabernet Franc
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Feature Natural/Lo-Fi
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

Brash Higgins

Brash Higgins is the label of winemaking American-turned-honorary-Aussie, Brad Hickey.

In his former life, Hickey was one of America's top sommeliers, working for many years crafting some of New York's finest wine lists. He came to Australia and fell in love with McLaren Vale and local vigneron Nicole Thorpe, with whom he now produces highly characterful, minimalist wines from their much loved Omensetter vineyard.

Hickey's wines are extremely expressive. They fall in two camps - the wines sourced from Omensetter vineyard and those sourced from friends around the Vale and the warm, dry Riverlands.

Brad Hickey AKA Brash Higgins - McLaren Vale, SA Brash Higgins

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