Kacaba Cabernet Franc 2019

This is from the estate’s ‘Escarpment’ series of wines and the wine is aged for 12 months in American and French oak barrels. It begins with textbook Niagara Cab Franc aromatics of black raspberries, bramble, roasted herbs, a touch of pepper and anise with lightly toasted spice notes. It’s smooth on the palate with ripe red berries, cigar smoke, leather, licorice, herbs, and spice in a juicy yet vibrant style through the lifted finish. Nicely integrated now but will improve with a bit of cellaring. Score – 92. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, Jan. 17, 2023)