The word that stands out to me the most in my notes about this wine is “stellar”. The Van Bers Vineyard sits on the 20 Mile Bench appellation of the Niagara region and is one of the few vineyards Tawse buys fruit from. 18 months in French oak, of which 20% was new, has produced a real beauty of a Franc. The nose is loaded with cherry, hints of tobacco and a touch of spice; but the nose doesn’t seem to do justice to the palate. Lots of up front juicy, luscious red fruit and spice with just the right amount of cocoa across the tongue; the back palate shows off black cherry, all with great ripe fruit and silky tannins on the finish. Age this one 4-5 years, for improvement purposes, then add another 7 years for it’s peak performance; that gives you 12+ years to drink it, I think that should give you enough time to find the right occasion to enjoy it. Price: $47.95 – Rating: *****