2025 Cabernet Franc
We picked this Cabernet Franc by hand on 14 April, from 0.3 hectares in the belly of the slope at Home Vineyard.
Violets, blueberry and red cherry, then lively tannins, autumn leaves and a crisp, long finish. Unfined and unfiltered, bottled without sulphur.
- A 0.3 ha block in the belly of the Home slope, planted in 2011 at 6,133 vines/ha.
- Destemmed, 70% whole berry, 27 days in open fermenters, 10 months in seasoned barrels, no sulphur added.
- Violets, blueberry and red cherry, then lively tannins, autumn leaves and a crisp finish.
- Harvest
- Hand harvested on 14 April 2025.
- Harvest data
- Harvest 1.4T. Yield = 0.77 kg/vine. Brix 21.8. TA 6.8 g/L. MA 2.4 g/L. pH 3.31.
- Bottled
- 103 (12 x 750ml) cases bottled in one lot under screw cap on 27 February 2026.
- R.S.
- 0.1 g/L
- TA
- 5.0 g/L
- pH
- 3.71
- Dry extract
- 25.8 g/L
- VA
- 0.39 g/L
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Total SO2
- <10 mg/L
- Closure
- screw cap
- Vineyard area
- 0.3 hectares
- Clones
- Cabernet Franc clones 214, 327 and 678 grow on 101-14 rootstock
- Oak
- seasoned 500L and 228L barrels for 10 months
- Certification
- fully certified organic with BioGro in March 2017. Home Vineyard was first certified Demeter on 22 March 2023.
Tasting Notes
Tasting note
Deep ruby hue. Complex and alluring aromas of blueberry, violets, red cherry and cedar. The pure, supple fruits are followed by mouth-filling tannins that bring on iron and autumnal leaves, followed by a saline, crisp finish. This is an unfined and unfiltered wine with small amounts of sediment and no added sulphur. Please allow the bottle to stand and settle before pouring.
Drink now to 2035.
Vineyard
Vineyard
The 2025 Black Estate Home Cabernet Franc was grown at Home Vineyard, located 6 kilometres north east of the Waipara Junction, in the Omihi sub-district of Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. This is a north-facing sedimentary clay fan on a gentle hillside slope. The soils are mainly Awapuni clay with calcium carbonate deposits. The Cabernet Franc vineyard that sits in the belly of the slope above the original vineyard is 0.3 hectares. Cabernet Franc clones 214, 327 and 678 grow on 101-14 rootstock and were planted at 6133 vines per hectare in 2011 by the Naish Family. Home Vineyard became fully certified organic with BioGro in March 2017. Home Vineyard was first certified Demeter on 22 March 2023.
Season
Winter and early spring rainfalls were only moderate, but vines started the growing season in spring with adequate soil moisture. Bud burst was 7 to 10 days early, which meant vulnerability to frosts in mid September and as late as early November. Dry conditions continued until late November, when humid overcast conditions became more common until late January. Mild temperatures through veraison allowed gradual, even ripening until hand harvesting, which commenced on 14 April.
Winemaking
Harvest
Hand harvested on 14 April 2025.
Harvest 1.4T. Yield = 0.77 kg/vine. Brix 21.8. TA 6.8 g/L. MA 2.4 g/L. pH 3.31.
Fermentation
100% destemmed. 70% whole berry. Fermented in open-top fermenters for 27 days using Home Vineyard-derived yeast. Hand plunged once per day during the peak of ferment. Pressed using a basket press and aged in seasoned 500L and 228L barrels for 10 months. No SO2 added. Unfined and unfiltered.
Bottled
103 (12 x 750ml) cases bottled in one lot under screw cap on 27 February 2026.
R.S. 0.1 g/L. TA 5.0 g/L. pH 3.71. Dry extract 25.8 g/L. VA 0.39 g/L. Alcohol 12.5%. Total SO2 <10 mg/L.
Distributed in Australia by Principal Wine.