Elephant Hill Cabernet Franc 2009 - 24,90€; 90% CF, 10% Merlot; 15% abv; 7,2 g/l acidity; under StelvinThe very first sniff just after opening did seem like Cabernet Franc. But the more air it came into contact with, the more oaky it became. It never became an over the top blueberry milkshake, but rather it smelled like a Bordeaux that straddles the fine line between a traditional and a modern style: it smells of loam and earth and general savoriness rather than boisterous, in-your-face fruit yet it still shows a marked oak character that subdues the grape's character to some degree. Full bodied, nicely bright acidity and nicely refreshing tannins. Amazingly the supremely high alcohol isn't noticeable nor does it manifest itself as over-ripeness as I feared. I can very well see the appeal in this as the semi-modern style of Bordeaux seems to have its fans, but I will not be buying it.