Tag Archives: Cabernet franc

Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Franc 2017, Russian River Valley, California

31 Monday Jan 2022

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A brooding opaque wine that borders on purple in the glass.  On the nose I get black plums, blackberry, coconut, purple licorice, black raspberries and capsicum (just a hint).  On the palate the flavors are a touch muted but I do get black fruit, oak nuance and a bit of that vegetal note from the green pepper.  Dry from some very integrated tannins it has a balancing acidity but the fruit lacks power.  Medium (-) body and a mid length finish.  I’m disappointed in this $45 bottle that gets 87 points and 2 stars from me.  I was hoping for a bit more structure, more fruit and better balance.  Paired with grilled Tri-tip and roasted veggies.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin Red 2017, Paso Robles, California

23 Sunday Jan 2022

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Almost opaque, this dark ruby colored ‘Red Wine’ is a blend of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah that rings in at 13.9% ABV.  The nose has rich black plum, blackberry coulis, licorice and vanilla.  The palate is meh…  Tart, dry and lacking depth of fruit.  I do get some blackberry and plum but I’m missing the oak nuance, the licorice and am distracted by the sourness.  The tannins are medium (+) and the wine is mid weight.  The finish is short, TG.  Not impressed by this $18 wine (I paid $10) that gets 84 points from me.  1 star and a major pass. I’m pairing it with leftover Lasagna.  Salut….

Dr. Konstantin Frank winery tasting

15 Saturday Jan 2022

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Our final stop on the Finger Lakes wine adventure was this picturesque hillside winery on the shore s of Keuka Lake.  We planned our arrival for 4 pm which gave us enough time for the drive from PA, which included a pit stop for a COVID test, a three hour drive to make our 1 pm Wiemar winery tasting, some lunch and then the 45 minute hop to the this lake.  We finished just after 5 pm and ended up in the town of Geneva for the night.  Everything worked out as planned!  Salut….

Hilda Chardonnay 2020-

Pale lemon in the glasss.  Crisp citrusy notes. Lemon zest, green apple, clean, waxy, round mouthfeel, medium to full bodied. Medium (+) acidity, linear and focused, not flabby.  Long finish. 91 points and at $35 it gets 4 stars.

Old Vines Pinot Noir 2019-

Pale garnet as expected from this varietal.  Pronounced aromas of stewed strawberry, cherry compote, vanilla bean, straw, baking spice, Orange peel.  Palate is light and breezy with cooked red fruit, spices, super lithe tannins, gentle acidity, light body and medium finish. 89 points and for $25 it is worthy of 3 stars.

Cabernet Franc 2019-

Medium opacity ruby.  Spicy nose of white pepper, violets, black currants, capsicum, perfumed flower blossoms.  A blunt opening that has a tannic grip and medium acidity.  The spice and dark fruit finally show up with some bell pepper greeness. Quite vegetal.  87 points.  Drink soon.  $25, 2 stars.

Saperavi 2019-

Deep purple color.  Smoke, coffee, blueberry pie, blackberry coulis.  Dry palate with smoky coffee goodness.  Medium (-) tannins, medium acidity, mid weight body and a decent length finish.  The tannins are more present on the back end but are still very smooth.  88 points, till 2024.  $30 makes this a 2 star effort.

Amur 2019-

No idea what it’s supposed to taste like.

Deep ruby, port like nose with spice box and clove notes.  A hint of greeness with asparagus and iron.  Unique flavors- very spicy, somewhat green with rhubarb, charred wood and kirsch alongside gentle tannins, juicy acidity, medium body, decent finish.  89 points for this $30 wine makes it 3 stars.

Margrit Dry Riesling 2019-

Pale lemon with aromas and flavors of lemon cordial, honeysuckle, blossom, toast.  Crisp palate with juicy acidity, citrus fruit, florals and 90 points for this $35 wine makes it a 3 star effort.

Wiemer Winery tasting

15 Saturday Jan 2022

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You may have read my previous post about our travels through the Finger Lakes, tasting our way to Canada, eh.  Our first stop after leaving home was to get a COVID test so we could cross the border, they insist on that kind of thing in Ontario.  Halfway down the road we came to the stark realization that one of us could test positive, egads.  As it turns out we were fine and made it to our 1 pm reservation at this rustic winery where we sampled some delicious whites and reds.  Abbreviated noters follow as I really was there to enjoy the moment and not think too hard with all the distractions.  Needless to say we bought some wine to bring home.  Salut….

Grüner Veltliner 2020-

Greenish lemon color.  Lemon, lime, grapefruit, tart, vanilla, good acidity, light and fruity. 87 points and at $27, 3 stars.

Riesling HJW 2019-

Greenish gold with tropical fruit notes of pineapple, papaya, pear, lemon curd, melon, medium (+) acidity, medium body, medium (+) finish, very balanced. 93 points. Delicious stuff and at $39 it gets 5 stars.

Riesling Reserve Dry 2019-

Pale lemon with Brioche, lemon, tangerine, pineapple, medium to full bodied, medium (+) acidity, medium (+) finish.  A subtle yet classy Riesling that gets 92 points and 5 stars for its great QPR at $29.

Gewürtztraminer Dry 2020-

Pale lemon in the glass.  Lychee, melon, rose petals, honeysuckle, sweet mouthfeel with great fruit flavors.  Medium (-) body, low acidity, medium (+) finish.  89 points and a very nice representation of this aromatic varietal.  For $25 it gets 4 stars from me and a few bottles made their way south.

Blauframkish 2020-

Pale ruby, see through in fact.  Black cherry, grape jelly, white pepper, black currants, crisp, tart, medium acidity, low tannins, medium (-) body, medium finish.  Lightweight and easy drinking, refreshing. 87 points and 3 stars for this $32 charmer.

Cabernet Franc Magdalena 2020-

Medium purple color.  Spicy with green pepper, white pepper, red plum, black plum, asparagus, blackberry, very spicy palate.  Quite dry but not astringent with medium (-) acidity.  The finish is medium (-) with good fruit.  89 points, 3 stars and $39.  Drink this till 2025.  Pretty vegetal looking back.  I will re-taste soon.

M Plouzeau Chateau de la Bonneliere Chinon Les Cornuelles 2016, Loire, France

10 Friday Dec 2021

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Chinon is a region in the Loire Valley of France where Cabernet Franc is the primary red grape.  You know how I love the varietal so I couldn’t pass this one up, especially when it was on sale for $14.  The wine itself is semi opaque and tending to garnet rather than ruby, I guess age is playing a factor here.  The nose is developed with stewed plums, black cherry, black currant pie, leather, mint and violet.  It is quite an interesting waft that got better as I swirled the glass.  On the palate this dry wine has upfront tannins, good acidity and flavors of plum, black currant, black cherry, licorice, mint and violets.  The leather and stewed plum notes are nowhere to be seen.  The tannic grip is pronounced on the back end where I get some dry gums.  It is a raw, primal wine with good fruit and structure but it is not for a big night.  A serviceable weekday wine that gets 88 points from me and should be drunk by 2026, it gets 3 stars and would go nicely with hearty stews.  Salut….

Frog’s Leap Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Rutherford, California

25 Thursday Nov 2021

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My friends Arty and Keef opened this bottle for a pre-Thanksgiving drink.  Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon this Napa jewel has Merlot and Cab Franc blended in as well.  Deep ruby in the glass the nose gives me currants, black cherry, charcoal, plums, black currants- a pretty complex set of red and black fruit aromas. Super smooth on the palate with lithe tannins and easygoing acidity that makes for a great mouthfeel.  Red and black fruit flavors, charred oak notes, chocolate powder and a medium finish with super fine-grained tannins.  Yummy stuff to drink till 2027. 92 points for this $65 wine makes it a 5 star treat.  It needs a Filet or some other lower fat cut of meat.  Salut….

Millbrook Vineyards and Winery Hunt Country Red 2018, New York

11 Thursday Nov 2021

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This bottle was a gift, for delivering a rescue dog to her new home in upstate New York.  We had fostered Victoria for a month and when it was time for her to meet new friends- it was off to the horse farm with her.  The new family were super happy to meet her and gave me two bottles of the local reds.  This one is a blend of 49% Merlot, 40% Cab Franc and 11% Syrah.

Semi opaque, bright ruby.  The nose is medium intense and gives me red cherry, red currants, raspberry, red plum and spice box- like baking spices.  The palate is dry, medium bodied and has juicy acidity and mid grade tannins.  The fruit flavors are of medium intensity and I get the red notes as well as the spice.  There is very little oak showing but I do get a strange sensation, almost like effervescence yet there are no bubbles.  It’s unique, something new to me.  As I drink more of it there is a definitive red cherry candy component and the glass wafts a touch of straw if swirled a lot.  The tannins I mentioned are very lithe yet hang on for a long time, far longer than the fruit which is pretty decent in length.  Overall, it’s a decent drop that gets 87 points from me.  It runs $13 and gets 3 stars from me.  Drink now with lighter fare, perhaps a pasta dish with veggies.  Salut….

Dave Harvey Cabernet Franc 2019, Columbia Valley, Washington

03 Wednesday Feb 2021

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I love Cab Franc as a standalone varietal. It offers up so much sophistication, is svelte and has great structure. Found mainly in blends, it does really well on its own in my book. This one is bright purple and semi opaque in the glass. The nose is exploding as it just sits there, I can smell it a mile away. Black pepper, violets, spice box and black raspberry all greet me. The palate is very muscular and fruity. Rich purple fruit notes alongside the spiciness make for an interesting taste. Very nice tannins are present from the get go, but not over powering. Oak nuances are present as is a fair dose of acidity. The mid palate is a touch less dry, with the flavors turning a little darker. Black currants take over alongside some tea notes. The finish is quite dry and decent in length. I am enjoying this rather full bodied wine, it’s not as perfumed and lithe as I was expecting but it will rock my Goat stew for dinner. Other pairings would include grilled Hanger steak with Frites or even Lamb Chops with mint sauce. 90 points for this $12 stunner make it a 5 star effort. Drink till 2025. Salut….

F. Stephen Millier Black Label Red Angel 2019, Calaveras, California

21 Thursday Jan 2021

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I’m doing some Ribeyes in the Sous Vide along with a vegetarian lasagna made with hearts of palm sheets. I needed something bold and hopefully a touch tannic. This blend was the chosen one. It is semi opaque and a dark shade of purple. On the nose I get candied cherry, violets and plum reduction. The palate has a sweetness to it and some tannic grip right off the bat. Dark red fruit compote, Goji berry and Rooibos tea all feature. The tannins take off on the mid palate and frame the gums till the very end. It is quite dry and there is an astringency that kicks in towards the back end. I taste some darker fruits on the finish but the sweet component is throwing me off. I have to admit, it’s not my favorite flavor profile but is a decent drop that gets 88 points from me and at $13- a 3 star effort. Drink till 2024. Salut.

Camille Benitah Pomme Roll Cabernet Franc 2018, Napa Valley, California

06 Wednesday Jan 2021

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I often plan my dinner around what I want to drink. Sometimes I pair the wine to the meal and sometimes I just drink whatever. Tonight is Strip steaks on the charcoal. A mid-fatty cut of beef that doesn’t need huge tannins, but good fruity notes are more appropriate. I had a glance at the lineup of Cab Savs on my tasting bench and stumbled on this Cab Franc, the name which has an awesome twist- Pomme Roll. Google it, a right bank commune that relies on this varietal for some huge name Chateaus.

This one is bright purple and nearly opaque. The nose is perfumed with violets, black currants, sweet blackberry and a hint of the 14.8% punch. On the palate it is delicious and smooth. Black fruit salad with juicy acidity and a good dose of fine grained tannins. The structure is perfect for what I am pairing, not overly dry but with nice cut from the acidity. The dark fruit theme continues on the mid palate where I also get some black Twizzler and tea notes. The finish is quite dry but still very fruity and fragrant. The violets adding yet another layer to the complexity of this wine. It’s rather a big red that could use a touch of aerating or cellar time for a year or two. It should drink nicely till 2026. I am really enjoying it and did not get any alcohol apart from the initial whiff. 91 points for this $26 wine makes it a 5 star effort. Salut….