2023 Corymbia Cabernet Franc

Highly Rated
A tiny 50-dozen release of Cabernet Franc from Corymbia’s tucked-away vineyard near Redgate, showing just how elegant and expressive this variety can be in the right hands.

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Description

The 2023 release marks the first time Rob and Gen Mann have bottled Cabernet Franc on its own - and with just 50 dozen made, it’s not something you’ll see often. This tiny parcel sits in the most sheltered pocket of their organically farmed Calgardup vineyard, just inland from Redgate Beach. In 2023, the vines gave them just 800kg of fruit, but what little they had was too good to blend away.

Hand-harvested, berry-sorted and naturally fermented in two old demi-muids, the wine was then matured in a single seasoned puncheon for ten months. It’s a medium-bodied, savoury take on Franc that’s all about finesse over flash. You get perfume, spice, and that trademark Margaret River sea spray note, wrapped around fine, gently chewy tannins.

This is a seriously characterful wine from a producer quietly doing things their own way. Keep your eyes out - there won’t be much to go around.

95 points
"Dark fruit, florals and Margaret River seaweed character. Pulses with energy, elegant yet plush with beautiful tannins. A rare Aussie cab franc gem."
- Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points
"Dried flowers, black tea, licorice, bay leaf and nori with ashy hints. Supple, chewy and earthy with brilliant tannic flow and concentration."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points
"Raspberry, cherry pip, pomegranate and umami kombu with grilled hazelnut and blood orange. Saline, savoury, minerally and distinctly characterful."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

95 points - "There are too few great cabernet francs in Australia. Such a shame because here’s one – a wow wine. Starts with an excellent dark garnet hue; dark fruit, florals, spice, and that Margaret River nori/seaweed character that’s so appealing. This pulses with energy; you’ll pulse with energy after drinking it. Full bodied yet not weighty, beautiful tannins and plenty of them. There’s a plushness across the palate, but this remains elegant and such a lovely surprise. More, please." - Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "This is the first time I have seen a Cabernet Franc from the Corymbia stable, and I'm glad it's from a season like 2023. Mild, long and fine, 2023 was a pleasure to behold. It never got too hot, there wasn't a lot of rain and it wasn't too cold either; it just had that Goldilocks edge to it. It has all the makings of a vintage I was going to get very excited about. So here, this 2023 Cabernet Franc leads with dried flowers and black tea, licorice bullets and bay leaf, with the classic Margaret River nori/sun-dried kelp notes. It has gentle ashy overtones, a character I often perceive in their Cabernet and one that I like very much in the hands of this producer. On the palate, the wine is supple but concentrated, with brilliant tannic flow and heft. It is chewy, fragrant and fine and speaks of the earth more than its élevage. A ripping wine. It's so good! 13.9% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points - "Calgardup Vineyard. So good of Corymbia to bottle a straight CF. 50 dozen made. Ripe raspberry, cherry pip, pomegranate juice, aniseed, grilled hazelnut, mint and seaweed. Medium-bodied, a smoky umami kombu thing happening here, tang of blood orange, and yet a juicy raspberry energy which is so compelling. Hazelnut skin tannin, nutty and flavoursome on a finish of excellent length. Some sun-dried tomato here too, but gee, it’s a wine of specific character from a great vineyard. Saline. Savoury. Dry and ‘minerally’. Very good." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

The 2023 vintage was not too heavy and not too light. It was just right. So right in fact that our small plot of Cabernet Franc produced something very special, which we decided to bottle as a single varietal for the first time. We normally wouldn’t do this but at least the variety has Cabernet in its name. If Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of grapes, then Cabernet Franc is the beautiful princess.

From less than 1000 north-east facing vines, tucked away in the most sheltered part of the vineyard. The yields were dismally low, with only 800 kg harvested but the fruit had real personality and depth. Harvested by hand in late March, the fruit was then destemmed, individually berry sorted and naturally fermented in two French oak demi muids. Maturation followed in a single seasoned puncheon for 10 months.

This wine is a little bit serious while celebrating the vibrancy and perfume of Cabernet Franc. Medium bodied with aromas of raspberry, licorice and rose petal with a touch of pink peppercorn spice. The palate is all dark cherry and rocky road with a cool vein of plush velvety tannins, all balanced by pomegranate like acidity. – Gen & Rob Mann, Corymbia

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Cabernet Franc
Country Australia
Region Margaret River
Australian State WA
Feature Organic
Women in Wine
High Score
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Advocate
Critic Score 95
94
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

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