Tawse, David's Block Cabernet Franc, Niagara Peninsula

The best Cabernet Franc I tasted during my recent visit to Ontario was this unblended version grown in a small vineyard block on the propitious Twenty Mile Bench, producing just three to five barrels per vintage. It’s a dark black-red in colour, with perfumed red fruit scents. Not for the first time, it struck me that Cabernet Franc can perform in a Pinot-like way in Niagara: the palate is poised and elegant, and Burgundy-style tannins combine with Bordeaux-like flavours of curranty fruits without any hint of greenness. The finish is silky-soft.