Aromatic spice, blackcurrant and floral aromas, with ripe plum, spice and rich berry flavours. Smooth and velvety tannins and well balanced acidity.

Serve with slow roast duck, rich tomato pasta or gourmet beef burgers.

The Sileni Pacemaker Cabernet Franc is a blend of parcels sourced from the Sileni Hikumutu and Wedd vineyards within the Bridge Pa Triangle Winegrowing Region, located on the Heretaunga Plains, Hawke's Bay. The Heretaunga Plains is one of the warmest areas in Hawke's Bay and coupled with the free draining red metal gravels provide the ideal conditions for growing Cabernet Franc. Crops were thinned down to one bunch per shoot to provide ripe and concentrated fruit flavours.

Following harvest, the fruit was de-stemmed into open top fermenters and gently hand plunged to extract colour and tannin from the skins prior to post-ferment maceration. Primary fermentation took around seven days and then stayed on skins for a further three weeks before pressing. The wine was then racked to barrel to complete malolactic fermentation and matured in these oak barriques (225L) for fourteen months; 30% new oak (70% French, 30% American) and around 30% second fill.