Western Australia is the largest of Australia's eight administrative areas and territories. In 2020, it accounted for only 2% of the nation's wine production, but has already produced up to 20% of the country's fine wines. Covering the entire western third of the vast island-continent, "WA" (as it is commonly known) stretches 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) from east to west. This makes it the second largest administrative subdivision of any country in the world, larger than Alaska and Texas combined.
Western Australia's wine regions are clustered in the cooler, coastal Southwestern Part of the state. The northeastern two-thirds of Western Australia is too hot to support quality viticulture. The northwest corner is the hottest region in all of Australia, with summer temperatures exceeding even those of the country's famous semi-desert 'Red Centre'. In contrast, the Climate in southwest WA is relatively cool, tempered by the presence of the Indian Ocean to the west and the Antarctic Ocean to the south and east.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
red wines from the region of Australie de l'Ouest go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, mature and hard cheese or lamb such as recipes of monkfish with vegetable tagliatelle, mashed potatoes with chastillon cheese or lamb mouse confit in wine.
On the nose in the region of Australie de l'Ouest often reveals types of flavors of cherry, plum or pepper and sometimes also flavors of non oak, earth or microbio. In the mouth in the region of Australie de l'Ouest is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
