Longting Reserve Cabernet Franc Penglai 2020

92 / 100

Edward Ragg, The Wine Advocate

Longting has been making some of the best single-varietal Cabernet Franc in China for a few vintages now, and the 2020 does not disappoint. Medium ruby in appearance, the 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc has lifted, perfumed red and black fruit, with red and black cherry and red and black plum with some bramble and leafy herbaceous character (green bell pepper and sage) with delicate new oak notes of clove, toast and smoke (it spent some 12 months in small-format French oak, of which 30% was new). On the palate, it is full-bodied with crunchy, crystalline tannins and the bright acidity typical of the variety (but also a marker for Penglai) and relatively well-integrated 14.9% alcohol. This structure supports a reasonably concentrated core of lively Cabernet Franc fruit with those sweet and savory herbaceous and oak-derived notes. With its longer (if not very long) length, it doesn’t quite have the finesse and intensity of the 2019 vintage but is compellingly assembled and very varietally true.

Longting is a heritage Chinese boutique winery, located on the eastern slop of Mount Feng in Penglai where is the northernmost in Shandong peninsula. Longting vineyard occupies 68 hectares, and half of the estate is dediated to vines. The vineyard is planted primarily to Petit Manseng, Marselan, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot and Vidal. Name ‘Longting’ embodies the essence of estate culture, comes from the owner’s deep perception of Chinese civilization. ‘Long’-dragon, is supreme symbol of Chinese nation. ‘Ting’-pavilion, is the shining point of traditional garden architecture and a place for visitors to hike and rest. There is a beautiful myth, dragon stayed in pavilion portend favorable weather and good harvest. ‘Reverence for Nature, Prime Quality, Happy Life, Pursuit of Goodness’ is Longting vineyard’s core philosophy. With the principle of the union among climate, terroir and man, it adopts biodynamic methods, to produce world-class organic fine wine with Chinese-style.