Tag Archives: Cabernet franc

Man O’ War Island Blend 2019, Waiheke Island, New Zealand

16 Tuesday May 2023

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Medium ruby with wall staining and high viscosity (14.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black and red plum, black berry, cinnamon, vanilla, lavender and tomato leaf.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that hit the mid palate.  Flavor-wise I get blackberry, plums and açaí berry with vanilla, baking spices and coffee. The wine is medium (+) bodied but it thins out on the back end a touch.  The finish has some charred wood notes along with roasted coffee and black fruit but I also get a green herbaceous hint.  It’s a nice blend of Cabernet Franc 48%, Malbec 25%, Merlot 19% and Petit Verdot 8% that has a medium length ending.  I like this style of wine and think it is drinking nicely now and will cellar for the short term.  90 points from me for this $25 effort makes it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

Chateau Treytins 2016, Montagne-Saint-Emilion, France

06 Thursday Apr 2023

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A hazy deep ruby color with some staining on the walls and medium to high viscosity legs (14% ABV).  On the nose I get classic Bordeaux aromas of cassis, leather, pencil lead, ripe black plum, boysenberry and elderberry.  Coffee and dark chocolate with some menthol also come to mind.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannins and a medium (+) body.  The brooding dark berry with coffee, licorice and dark chocolate notes are all present alongside some black tea which gives a touch of mid palate astringency.  The finish is powerful and long with grippy tannins taking center stage.  I have drunk gallons of this delicious Merlot dominant Right Bank wine over the years and am glad to revisit an old friend that runs $25 and gets 91 points from me.  Drink this 5 star wine till 2028 with a sizzling steak and some au gratin.  Salut….

La Mascota Vineyards ‘Unanime’ Gran Tinto 2017, Maipu, Argentina

06 Monday Mar 2023

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Inky purple colored, this blend of 60% Cab Sav, 25% Malbec and 15% Cab Franc leaves a slight stain on the walls and has thick, slow moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose has wafting aromas of blackberry jam, black plum, violet, vanilla bean, chocolate,   some bell pepper and a medicinal note from the oak.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins that are fine grained but prominent.  Full bodied, this wine gives me flavors of black fruit, oak influence that is well masked/integrated (vanilla, medicinal, chocolate) and a touch of blueberry.  It hangs in there for a decent length finish and is silky smooth on the back end.  It’s delicious and will pair beautifully with our grilled lamb chops with roasted potatoes.  This is drinking beautifully now and will cellar till 2028.  I will give it 92 points which is a bit shy of the 95 it got from one pro.  At $25 it gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Pacheco Pereda Estirpe Organic Cabernet Franc 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

03 Friday Mar 2023

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Not quite opaque, this deep ruby Cabernet Franc has medium viscosity legs (14% ABV).  The nose has bright aromas- violets, black raspberry, bell pepper, vanilla, baking spices, black plums and an interesting purple twizzler note.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and crunchy tannins that are medium (+) in intensity.  A touch astringent- the mouthfeel leads to a medium-to-full body with flavors of black plum and raspberry, vanilla bean and oak spices.  The tannins really grip on the back end where they get a little more fine-grained.  On the initial push they were very raw and coarse.  This wine could use aerating methinks.  I like the finish, it’s pretty long in length and the florals that I got on the nose reappear alongside the dark red fruit and softening tannins.  I have been simmering a Port reduction sauce to go over some grilled Strip steaks, this wine is going to pair beautifully.  92 points from me for this $30 offering makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Cabernet Franc 2015, Napa Valley, California

12 Thursday Jan 2023

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Deep ruby with rim variation to garnet plus some slow moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose has varietally true aromas of green pepper, blackberry, black raspberry and some menthol perfume.  Very faint notes of oak alongside some coffee, crushed rock and vanilla.  It smells gorgeous.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and delightfully fine grained tannins that caress.  Full bodied, I get flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, menthol, oak nuance, coffee, chocolate.  The green pepper aromas don’t show up on the palate btw.  The finish is a touch smoky and medium (+) in length with the tannins completely melded and the acidity softening.  A very balanced and somewhat complex wine that really coats my mouth with delicious, ripe fruit.  I like it a lot and give it 93 points.  I’m searing some Sous Vide Strip steaks, this is going to pair beautifully.  For $50 its a treat-night wine that gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Maxville Lake Winery ‘Maxville’ Cabernet Franc 2015, Napa Valley, California

04 Friday Nov 2022

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Medium garnet colored this Cab Franc has pretty thin, slow moving legs (14.5% ABV). The nose gives me medium intensity aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, coconut, cedar plank, toasty oak, chocolate powder, blueberry jam and some brioche/yeast notes.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and super smooth medium tannins.  The wine coats my mouth and is full bodied with rich blueberry flavors.  The red fruit are there but not as prominent.  Toasty oak and some cocoa with a hint of coconut round out the palate.  The finish is medium-ish and very caressing- the tannins are fully melded in this 7 year old wine that is drinking en pointe.  It is delicious and will pair beautifully with my Hangar steaks and mashed taters.  92 points from me for this $57 offering that gets 5 stars.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

KWV ‘The Mentors’ Cabernet Franc 2019, Western Cape, South Africa

05 Wednesday Oct 2022

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Deep, opaque purple colored with thick slow-moving legs (14.5% ABV).  The nose excites me- rich black cherry, pencil shavings, bell pepper, garigue and açaí berry compote.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and very smooth medium tannins.  It’s a medium to full-bodied wine that has flavors corresponding to the nose plus a bit of spice box and tobacco.  A medium length finish rounds this delicious single varietal wine up nicely.  I like it- 93 points and for $20 this is a steal of a 5-star effort to drink till 2025.  I’m pairing mine with a combo Cottage/Shepards Pie (one side with beef the other side with lamb).  Salut….

Heritage Winery tasting, Outer Coastal Plain, New Jersey

26 Sunday Jun 2022

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My buddy Keef and I stopped in at this New Jersey winery to sample the wares.  We tasted the five Reserve offerings they had plus a bottle of their Norman’s Vineyard Cabernet Franc.  I was impressed by what I tasted.  The Chenin Blanc was spectacular- rich flavors, great mouthfeel and varietally correct.  The NJ twist on Sauvignon Blanc was another delicious wine that had telltale cut grass amongst other yummy flavors.  The rosé, a blend of 4 red grapes was very interesting and worth a re-taste.  I was not a huge fan of the two reds we were served until it came time for the Cabernet Franc.  Delicious- with dark/blue fruit, green pepper, medium (+) tannins, low acidity and good length.  Worthy of the $48 price point?  Not sure but it was a fun day out which makes the whole thing worthwhile.  If you are in South Jersey this is a definite detour to plan on.  Salut….

Raats Family Cabernet Franc 2017, Stellenbosch, South Africa

07 Saturday May 2022

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Our second Cab Franc at tasting #27 was this much more restrained version from S.A. Our first foray into the varietal was a powerhouse Chinon.  This wine was more elegant and softer- beginning with the medium ruby color in the glass.  On the nose the group found aromas of lavender, violets, blackberry leaf, blueberry, cherry (cola), black pepper, creamy coffee (froth), caramel and a medicinal note as well as a touch of cough syrup (?).  The palate was dry and we debated the acidity- High was the consensus.  Lush, nicely integrated tannins led to a medium bodied wine with lovely flavors of blackberry leaf, lavender, vanilla, violets, and that medicinal note.  A medium  (-) finish took off a point or two from me yet I love this wine.  91 points for a $45 wine makes it a 4 star effort to drink till 2026 with Steak au Poivre.  Salut….

Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot 2018, Loire, France

07 Saturday May 2022

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The red wine theme for our 27th VWTC tasting was Cabernet Franc.  We kicked it off with this classic Chinon from the Loire valley.  As I opened the bottle and took a sniff I was very worried about the wine’s acceptance into our group.  It was very, very funky with loads of herbaceous aromas- not everyones cup of tea mind you.  This wine is deep purple colored with pronounced aromas of green pepper, dried herbs and earth.  We also got funk, cave moss, overripe blackberry, sea salt, lavender, violet, plastic band aid, overripe cherry and sarsaparilla.  There was definitely some minerality in this very complex wine.  The palate was dry with medium (+) tannins, medium (+) acidity and was full bodied.  In addition to the herbaceous notes we also got flavors of tart cherry on the plate, especially towards the back end.  Oak was present by way of svelte cinnamon and nutmeg flavors and the wine finished to a medium length. I was pleasantly surprised how this $38 monster developed in the glass and became one of the group’s favorite wines.  Some just love the funk!  I gave it 91 points and would drink this over a 10 year window with hearty steaks, venison or rich stews.  It gets 5 stars from me, just beware of the herbaceous quality of this varietal- times 10.  Salut….