2021 Cherubino Laissez Faire Cabernet Franc, Margaret River

Cherubino Laissez Faire Cabernet Franc is a quietly compelling wine that shows just how beautifully this variety can perform in Margaret River when handled with restraint and confidence. Cabernet Franc thrives in the region’s gravelly loam soils and mild maritime climate, where warm days are tempered by cooling ocean breezes, allowing long, even ripening and superb aromatic definition.

Cherubino Wines is led by Larry Cherubino, one of Western Australia’s most respected winemakers, known for his thoughtful, site focused approach and his willingness to let varieties speak without overworking them. The Laissez Faire label is exactly that in spirit. Minimal intervention, gentle extraction and a hands off philosophy designed to highlight purity, texture and place rather than winemaking tricks.

In the glass, this Cabernet Franc is expressive and refined. Red currant, raspberry and wild strawberry lead the aromatics, followed by notes of violets, dried herbs and a subtle graphite edge. The palate is medium bodied and poised, with fine grained tannins, bright natural acidity and a savoury thread that carries through to a long, elegant finish. It has freshness and lift, but also enough structure to feel serious and complete.

This is a superb food wine. It pairs beautifully with roast chicken, duck, pork, grilled vegetables or herb driven dishes, and it is especially good with lighter red meat preparations where elegance matters more than weight. While delicious now for its vibrancy and perfume, it will also reward short to medium term cellaring, gaining extra savoury complexity and textural depth over time.

Cherubino Laissez Faire Cabernet Franc is a confident, understated expression of Margaret River. Fragrant, balanced and quietly distinctive, it shows the variety in a light that feels both classic and refreshingly modern.