Once again Cab Franc Challenge won by cellar in Franschhoek

Once again Cab Franc Challenge won by a cellar in Franschhoek

04/2022 Mike Froud Leave a comment

CHAMONIX of Franschhoek are on track in building a good track record with their Cabernet Franc, but who would have given short odds on them coming top of the class in South Africa’s 2022 Cab Franc Challenge? Congrat’s to the team – more respected for their Chardonnay, Troika red blend and Pinot Noir – whose Challenge entry was fancied ahead of those from Warwick, Raats and Uva Mira of Stellenbosch, KWV (Mentors) of Paarl as well as Franschhoek’s Holden Manz and My Wyn, champions in 2021 and 2020 respectively.

The 2020 vintage from Chamonix “sported the perfect framework of great Cab Franc with graphite and beautifully ripe, raspberry fruit on nose and palate,” said panel chair Carrie Adams, an experienced wine critic and former retailer turned broadcaster whose fellow judges were Cape Wine Master Lizette Tolkin and sommelier Greg Mutambi. Adams estimated that there were close to 80 producers of single-varietal Cab Franc in South Africa at last count, with many using it as a blend component. From these there were 38 entries in the 2022 Challenge, 30 comprising 100% Cab Franc and a number of them included in the SA Wine Classification.

Pronounced ‘Best Value Wine’ was the 2020 Paul Hugo red blend from Landskroon in Paarl, which at R70 a bottle ex-cellar was R20pb lower than the only other entry in the competition at under R100, the 2019 Gentis Red from Thor Vintners in the Swartland.