Dark garnet, red cherry fruit nose. Moderately dry, tart tannins on the PnP. Medium fruit, Logan berries, Marion berries nice acid to balance the fruit and tannins. Smooth, silky mouthfeel, this is good to go on the PnP. Light oak with chewy tannins on the finish. Good stuff, no need to wait. A night later, the acid started to go and it got a little jammy. Best on opening with a little air time.
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Dark ruby, red fruit nose. Dry, red fruits, nice acid and tannin balance. Medium fruit and body, tart tannins on the finish. Bright red currants, pomegranate with good acid balancing the slightly bitter tannins on the finish. With a little more time some Syrah like spice starting to show, pushing the Pinot flavors aside. And this is just the second label. Pretty impressive.
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I generally enjoy Cabernet Franc, especially from the US, more so than Loire. This is a nice representation. I have now tried 4-5 Washington CF, and they are better than most California examples I have tasted. Chocolate and pepper stand out. Not as much olive and vegetal dominance as is present in Loire CF. A tad too much oak for me.
Cabfrancophile nailed the description of this wine so I yield to his her note. I have gone one notch higer on the score as this is a great representatino of Cabernet Franc. It possesses all of the green/floral flavors that are typical of Cab Franc but maintains a concentrated fruit flavor which makes this wine a pleasure to drink. Andrew Will continues to deliver...even with the black label.
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Yum! Outstanding domestic Cab Franc and a very nice value at retail to boot. Olive, sage, black cherry, cedar and complexing aromas of brine and tar on the nose. There's an impression of skillful use of high quality oak, but it's not in your face. Medium to full bodied with medium to low acidity, earthy black cherry on the attack finishing with ripe tannin and dark chocolate. A bit of heat on the finish. But really stunning and delicious overall. Refined in style, moderately extracted and in a sweet spot of fruit maturity where the savory elements meld with ripe fruit. It is a great drink at present, though the balance probably bodes well for development.
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Cherry and dark chocolate on the nose, with forest floor and spice in the middle, and some raspberry towards the end. Rich and fruity on the palate, with cherry and raspberry dominating. The earth and chocolate is still there, but it's very much in the background. It finishes with some spice.
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Silky and round with a nose of chocolate and earth. Didn't get a ton of bell pepper. Easy drinking but fairly nondescript. Hopelessly outclassed by the Russiz Superiore Collio Cab Franc.
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Nice tobacco and a hint of green pepper on the nose. Medium weight, great lift from the acidity. Great medium tanins and red fruit on the finish. Makes up for its lack of complexity with purity, from attack to finish.
Fantastic bottle for $25. Ready to drink now while you wait for the white labels to mature.
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Opened very early in afternoon. Did not drink until after 6. Nice purple flower and chocolate aroma. Flavor of lilac and lavender with crisp red and blue fruit. Medium body with good balance of acid and tannin. Drinking well now. Should get even better for at least a couple more years.
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Perfumed with tobacco and cherries right from the pop. Not as "dark" as his other black label wines of this year. Meaning this doesn't show its oak as much as those other ones seem too.
Full bodied across the palate but with acidity to match. Finishes with some gusto, but in harmony between tannins acidity and fruit. In his "darker fruits" style of blue and black instead of red. If it towes the same price as the other Black Labels its a hell of a wine for $30.
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11/25/2017 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
Bit spicy but medium to light body and good acidity. Reminds me of cru beaujolais in weight.
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3/30/2017 - Winiac wrote: 89 Points
A bit thin but lively and fresh. Acid plus, but contained the alcohol.
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8/4/2015 - dpeters wrote: 89 Points
Good. Very drinkable
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6/24/2014 - dsgris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark garnet, red cherry fruit nose. Moderately dry, tart tannins on the PnP. Medium fruit, Logan berries, Marion berries nice acid to balance the fruit and tannins. Smooth, silky mouthfeel, this is good to go on the PnP. Light oak with chewy tannins on the finish. Good stuff, no need to wait. A night later, the acid started to go and it got a little jammy. Best on opening with a little air time.
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5/30/2014 - dsgris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby, red fruit nose. Dry, red fruits, nice acid and tannin balance. Medium fruit and body, tart tannins on the finish. Bright red currants, pomegranate with good acid balancing the slightly bitter tannins on the finish. With a little more time some Syrah like spice starting to show, pushing the Pinot flavors aside. And this is just the second label. Pretty impressive.
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5/27/2013 - fournet Likes this wine: 89 Points
I generally enjoy Cabernet Franc, especially from the US, more so than Loire. This is a nice representation. I have now tried 4-5 Washington CF, and they are better than most California examples I have tasted. Chocolate and pepper stand out. Not as much olive and vegetal dominance as is present in Loire CF. A tad too much oak for me.
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8/11/2012 - What I'm Drinking Now wrote:
I've already ranked this wine and don't seek to skew the score but it is still amazing. Just let it breathe a little and you'll be quite pleased!
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7/11/2012 - What I'm Drinking Now wrote: 92 Points
Cabfrancophile nailed the description of this wine so I yield to his her note. I have gone one notch higer on the score as this is a great representatino of Cabernet Franc. It possesses all of the green/floral flavors that are typical of Cab Franc but maintains a concentrated fruit flavor which makes this wine a pleasure to drink. Andrew Will continues to deliver...even with the black label.
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7/6/2012 - Cabfrancophile wrote: 91 Points
Yum! Outstanding domestic Cab Franc and a very nice value at retail to boot. Olive, sage, black cherry, cedar and complexing aromas of brine and tar on the nose. There's an impression of skillful use of high quality oak, but it's not in your face. Medium to full bodied with medium to low acidity, earthy black cherry on the attack finishing with ripe tannin and dark chocolate. A bit of heat on the finish. But really stunning and delicious overall. Refined in style, moderately extracted and in a sweet spot of fruit maturity where the savory elements meld with ripe fruit. It is a great drink at present, though the balance probably bodes well for development.
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1/25/2012 - thatrick wrote: 91 Points
Wine down Wednesday hit -drinking wonderful - smooth rich and fruity - at $23.50 at the winery it's a no brainer buy!
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12/21/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cherry and dark chocolate on the nose, with forest floor and spice in the middle, and some raspberry towards the end. Rich and fruity on the palate, with cherry and raspberry dominating. The earth and chocolate is still there, but it's very much in the background. It finishes with some spice.
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12/4/2011 - suthersm wrote: 86 Points
Silky and round with a nose of chocolate and earth. Didn't get a ton of bell pepper. Easy drinking but fairly nondescript. Hopelessly outclassed by the Russiz Superiore Collio Cab Franc.
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11/19/2011 - mpchs1988 wrote: 90 Points
This is a must decant due to age. Its way too young. Nose of of soft mint, yeast, carmel. Oak and chocolate on palate with sour cherry finish.
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9/6/2011 - mpchs1988 wrote: 91 Points
This is still a bit young but very big. Lots of fruit.
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8/24/2011 - Michael Davidson wrote:
Nice tobacco and a hint of green pepper on the nose. Medium weight, great lift from the acidity. Great medium tanins and red fruit on the finish. Makes up for its lack of complexity with purity, from attack to finish.
Fantastic bottle for $25. Ready to drink now while you wait for the white labels to mature.
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6/24/2011 - hende14 wrote: 90 Points
Opened very early in afternoon. Did not drink until after 6. Nice purple flower and chocolate aroma. Flavor of lilac and lavender with crisp red and blue fruit. Medium body with good balance of acid and tannin. Drinking well now. Should get even better for at least a couple more years.
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5/24/2011 - mreinitz wrote: 90 Points
Going from memory here...enjoyable, and smooth to be so young, with cherry and darker fruit flavors. Fills in nicely on the midpalate for a cab franc.
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5/6/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Perfumed with tobacco and cherries right from the pop. Not as "dark" as his other black label wines of this year. Meaning this doesn't show its oak as much as those other ones seem too.
Full bodied across the palate but with acidity to match. Finishes with some gusto, but in harmony between tannins acidity and fruit. In his "darker fruits" style of blue and black instead of red. If it towes the same price as the other Black Labels its a hell of a wine for $30.
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