The wine district of Villány and the variety of Cabernet Franc have become entwined as a concept, not only in Hungary but also internationally. There are very few international wine books that do not mention Villány directly when they mention the variety. This unique relationship between the region, the variety and the winemakers was perhaps first described in detail by international wine authority Michael Broadbent MW, when he stated that it had found its natural home in Villány.
The Super Premium category launched with the product descriptions of 2014 and 2015 prescribes strict rules. These wines can only be made from Cabernet Franc. Villányi Franc has become a concept.
The variety is the 17th most planted in the world (around 54,000 hectares), while it is the third most planted variety in Villány. It thus accounts for 14% of the Villány wine district's entire vineyard area, covering 330 hectares, while there are 1,450 hectares in Hungary as a whole.
Villány now has 2,433 hectares under vine. Its vineyards were first mentioned in Béla IV's Royal Charter, although there was certainly already viticulture here in Roman times. Most of its vineyards are located on the southern-facing slopes of the Villány Hills, which stretch for around 25 km. The bedrock is formed of limestone and loess. It has a continental climate with a Mediterranean climate prevailing, resulting in one of the highest average temperatures in Hungary and only around 700 mm annual rainfall.
"Villányi Franc is the epitome of elegance and harmony." Villányi Franc has one of the strictest protection of origin regulations in the country. Two categories can be made: "premium" and "super premium". Both require a minimum of one year's ageing in oak, while the super premium category requires an additional year of bottle ageing and even lower yields. Chaptalisation is not permitted for either. A committee of local wine judges tastes the wines and performs sensory evaluations for both categories, ensuring that they meet the product description for the category in question.
Villányi Franc is usually medium to deep ruby with red and black berry aromas. There may be slight jamminess and notes of dry fruit along with pronounced spice derived from oak ageing. It is a full-bodied, complex, expressive wine with a long finish.
Naturally, as the wine ages and develops in bottle, these parameters will change.