Community Tasting Note

Thursday, September 23, 2010 - Very, very, obviously 100% Cab Franc. A heady, powerful nose of vegetation; dark fruits; good, dark, muddy earth; and a complex melange of spices I have no hope of decoding. On the palate, it gives a very aged feel. Richard pointed out that it's incredibly similar to a well-aged Bordeaux, and probably one many years older than this - indeed, it's quite similar to an '88 Grand Cru I had some time ago. Besides a good deal of sediment, though, it still looks good for its age, with an inky core and clear rim. Blueberry syrup, loads of Cab Franc vegetable flavors, a little Syrah-like bacon in the background, and cedar (spice box, as Richard sardonically put it). The midpalate and finish are backed with a bracing acidity, and there's still significant but well-integrated tannins on the finish suggesting this could last several more years. Altogether, a very well-made bottle, although perhaps not the uniquely Tuscan perspective on Cab Franc I was expecting - there is some minerality, but not a distinctly Italian terroir. For $50, this is solid stuff; I'm not sure it's a great value at the retail of $80, though.

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