Cabernet Franc Wine Tasting Notes
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2004 Ironstone Vineyards California Cabernet Franc $10 Score: 95.0 Instead of the usual high alcohol, late harvest nonsense that passes for table wine these days, Ironstone has released a number of wines with a reasonable 13.5% alcohol, great balance and unusual complexity. This Cabernet Franc is one of the finest I've ever encountered. It's a multi-faceted wine with bright fruit flavors, layers of mineral and spice. The fruit tends toward intense layers of blueberry, pomegranate and loganberry, backed by racy minerality, vibrant acidity and understated spices (nutmeg, cardamom, a hint of vanilla). The finish lingers for minutes. The negligible tannin steps aside, making this a wine to enjoy now and for the next 5 to 7 years. And it's an unbelievable bargain! |
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2003 Ironstone Vineyards Calaveras County Meritage [78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc] Reserve $35 Score: 86.0 Here Ironstone reaches for the moon and falls a bit short, but we applaud the effort. Their Reserve Meritage is a soft, enveloping fruit bomb redolent of blackberries, with nutmeg undertones. The soft tannins stay in the background and will recede further over the next 3 to 5 years. Enjoyable as it is, I doubt it will develop much complexity, though it's a wine that should work well at the dinner table as a foil for such dishes as beef or lasagna. Only 500 6-bottle cases produced. |
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2003 Ironstone Vineyards California Cabernet Franc $17 Score: 89.0 Lush black cherries wrapped in tobacco leaf with mineral notes and sweet spices, good acidity and a lingering finish. Wonderful now and capable of aging over the next 5 to 10 years. |
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2002 Ironstone Sierra Foothills Cabernet Franc Reserve $19 Score: 89.0 This is a backwards Bordeaux-style blend using 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot to support the predominant Cabernet Franc. It's a lush wine, but not flabby, with juicy blueberry and cassis flavors on the front palate, melting into an earthy-smoky finish. The tannins are unobtrusive. It's perfectly suited to tomato sauces and meatballs. A great food wine for current drinking, though it'll last a few years if you're curious. |
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1997 Thomas Mitchell Southeast Australia "Cabernet 40%, Shiraz 30%, Cabernet Franc 30%" $10.00 Score: 89.0 "Though only 40% of the wine is Cabernet Sauvignon, the cassis-like character of that grape plays a dominant role in this wine, along with a touch of spice. Medium body, moderate tannin, dry on the palate with a tart mouthwatering finish. The acidity and structure of this wine allow it to pair well with fish, while the weight and fruit make it ideal for duck or even venison. " |
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1996 Peju Napa Valley Cabernet Franc $28.00 Score: 87.0 "Cabernet Franc is used in blending to give Bordeaux and California Cabernet Sauvignon a bit more structure and spice. On its own its a big, muscular wine with a flavor like blackberry reduction with some smoke and licorice notes in the background. Chewy, with a firm tannic structure, this is a wine that can be enjoyed now with tomato based sauces, lamb or game, but would benefit from another 5 years in the bottle. " |
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1996 Beringer Third Century Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Franc $75.00 Score: 89.0 "My loss is your gain. I had to evaluate this wine now, when it is really designed for longterm aging. Its a medium-bodied though dense wine, balanced, with full well-integrated tannin, blackberry fruit, peppermint, licorice and some earthy components. Rated as to current drinkability, its quality will really show with another 7 to 10 years in the cellar." |
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1994 The Bergkelder estate La Motte [South Africa] "A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc," Score: 92.0 " this is a marvelous wine, complex, supple, packed with black currant and blackberry flavors, as well as nuances of toast and spice from the French oak. Perfect balance, smooth texture and firm structure. Great now, Id love to put aside a case and see how it will age over the next decade. A first rate bargain at $15." |