After learning the winners of last fall’s Artevino competition – 2009 edition - I went back to check my judges notes – and lo and behold this was my number one Franc in the competition. I guess the other judges agreed because it was not only the Gold medal winner in its category, but the highest scoring wine of the competition. After perusing my notes I’m not at all surprised. The level of complexity displayed by this wine was much more than I expected from a County Franc. Considering, of course, the County is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, I was surprised to find such a great expression of Cabernet Franc. Winemaker Jeff Innes quietly told a small group of us that Franc really is the surprise grape of the County, so I’m not surprised. I’ve used the word 4 times in this review already. The smells are smoky with cherry, tobacco leaf and raspberry liqueur. On the palate, you’ll find great sweet fruit character lovely spice, some herbs, good acidity and a real savoury finish. This wine shows a lot of finesse and the potential for longevity – really nice job here. Rating: *****