Results of the Cabernet Franc Challenge 2022

Friday, 29 April, 2022

Cabernet Franc Challenge

At the Cabernet Franc Challenge 2022, Chamonix Estate won the Cobie van Oort Challenge Trophy for top scoring wine.

Carrie Adams was chairperson at the Cabernet Franc Challenge, and she was assisted by Lizette Tolken and Greg Mutambe. Carrie says that the quality of this year’s entries was so good that she would recommend all 38 entries:

“Since the first single varietal Cabernet Franc was released by Norma Ratcliffe of Warwick in 1998, South Africa has come a long way as there are many producers who now produce this wine in its purest form.”

Thirty entries were 100% Cabernet Franc with the remaining eight being Cabernet Franc driven blends.

Top performing wines at Cabernet Franc Challenge 2022

The overall winner of the of the Cobie van Oort Cabernet Franc Challenge Trophy for 2022 is the Chamonix Cabernet Franc 2020 by Chamonix Estate. Carrie as “sported the perfect framework of great Cab Franc with graphite and beautifully ripe, raspberry fruit on nose and palate”.

The other five wines in the Top 6 category are Bushmanspad Cabernet Franc 2019, Kaapzicht Cabernet Franc 2019, Rainbow’s End Limited Release Cabernet Franc 2020, Rainbow’s End Cabernet Franc 2020 and Zorgvliet Cabernet Franc 2019.

The vintage winner is the Journeys End V5 Cabernet Franc 2017 and the top blends are Blaauwklippen Blending Competition Winning Blend, Delaire Graff Estate the Banghoek 2017 and Thor Vintners Gentis Red 2019. The Best Value Wine is the Landskroon Paul Hugo Red 2020.

Other gold medal winners are De Meye Cabernet Franc 2020, Holden Manz Reserve Cabernet Franc 2018, Holden Manz Reserve Cabernet Franc 2019, Landskroon Paul Hugo Red 2020, Raats Dolomite Cabernet Franc 2019, The Garajeest Bruce Cabernet Franc 2017, and the Warwick Cabernet Franc 2019.

There are also 20 wines that won silver medals.

Many of the Cab Franc producers did not bottle a single variety Cab Franc last year and therefore could not enter this year due to their previous vintages being sold out.

With the Cabernet Franc Challenge completed and the winners and other participants notified of their successes, the time has arrived to give the public opportunity to taste these beautiful wines.

Cabernet Franc Carnival

This will happen at Vrede en Lust Estate in the Simondium area between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek on Saturday 28 May from 11:00-16:00. Tickets will go on sale soon. The Cabernet Franc Carnival will show most winners and medalists at Vrede en Lust on 28 May.

For more information contact Bjorn van Oort at 084 511 1806 during office hours, or email bjorn@cvomarketing.co.za.