Description
Ridgeback Cabernet Franc 2023 is a Paarl red that leans into the variety’s more aromatic and savory side, while still delivering the fruit concentration and structure expected from a premium bottling. Cabernet Franc can sometimes feel either too lean or too ripe, but this wine finds a convincing middle ground, balancing dark fruit, herb-edged detail, and oak with a steady, composed hand. It is a wine for drinkers who appreciate red wines with fragrance, shape, and a little more nuance than simple fruit weight.
The nose opens with blackcurrant, mulberry, and a dusty note of green peppercorn, threaded through with delicate fynbos character that gives the wine a distinctly local accent. On the palate, the tannins are supple and well integrated, carrying the fruit into a long mineral finish framed by gentle oak spice. There is enough richness here to satisfy, but the wine’s herbal lift and structure keep it focused and refined. It would pair especially well with duck, quail, lamb, or veal, where its savory detail and polished tannins can settle naturally into the dish.
The nose opens with blackcurrant, mulberry, and a dusty note of green peppercorn, threaded through with delicate fynbos character that gives the wine a distinctly local accent. On the palate, the tannins are supple and well integrated, carrying the fruit into a long mineral finish framed by gentle oak spice. There is enough richness here to satisfy, but the wine’s herbal lift and structure keep it focused and refined. It would pair especially well with duck, quail, lamb, or veal, where its savory detail and polished tannins can settle naturally into the dish.
The fruit came from award-winning vineyards planted in deep decomposed granite soils along the northern foothills of Paarl Mountain. Site aspect, row orientation, and vertical shoot positioning were carefully managed to optimize sunlight exposure and build ripe tannins. Only the best bunches were retained during the growing season, then harvested into small lug boxes, sorted, and lightly crushed into open-top fermenters. Pump-overs were carried out three to four times daily during a week-long fermentation, with extraction guided by regular tasting. The free-run wine was then separated, the skins pressed, and the wine gravity-fed into French oak barrels for 18 months of maturation, using 42% new oak, 35% second-fill, and 23% third-fill barrels. A light filtration was completed before bottling.
Nestled on the northern slopes of the Paarl-Limietberg Mountains, Ridgeback Wines has evolved from a 1997 fruit farm into one of South Africa’s most distinguished boutique estates, known for a "lionhearted" approach to winemaking that mirrors the tenacity of its namesake dog breed. Under the recent leadership of Cellar Master Renier van Deventer, the estate continues to dominate the awards circuit, most notably securing two prestigious 5-star ratings in the 2026 Platter’s Wine Guide for its 2021 Shiraz and 2022 Cabernet Franc.
With a 35-hectare vineyard philosophy rooted in minimal intervention and a deep respect for the region's granite-rich soils, Ridgeback produces a diverse portfolio ranging from the investment-grade Signature C and The Journey blends to the approachable Vansha and Lion Hound labels. Whether you are sipping their acclaimed Viognier on The Deck overlooking their tranquil koi dam or cellaring their robust reds, Ridgeback remains a definitive expression of Paarl’s premium terroir and a testament to consistent, world-class craftsmanship.
With a 35-hectare vineyard philosophy rooted in minimal intervention and a deep respect for the region's granite-rich soils, Ridgeback produces a diverse portfolio ranging from the investment-grade Signature C and The Journey blends to the approachable Vansha and Lion Hound labels. Whether you are sipping their acclaimed Viognier on The Deck overlooking their tranquil koi dam or cellaring their robust reds, Ridgeback remains a definitive expression of Paarl’s premium terroir and a testament to consistent, world-class craftsmanship.
