On pnp this is clearly doing well. Hints of the aged Romano sort of notes that Clark often mentions. Otherwise it's bitter cherry, herbs (sage? rosemary?) and wet stone on the nose. Palate is very lively. Medium tannin, more cherry and it has a savoury depth to it.
With a bit of air, there's also a bit of rubber or petrol coming out in the palate, astonishingly like some Rieslings. The palate alternates between pure fruit and more complex savoury amalgams.
Day 2 it's more of the same. A bit more depth here and there and a bit more astringency here and there.
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Consistent with earlier note, and those of others excepting not hot or low acid. Still quite young for a Clark bottle. Will visit again in a year or so.
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Very savoury and film of limestone. Red fruit, little tannin, moderate finish. Medium body. Rosemary appeared on the nose after a little while. Delicious as it is, but based on how Clark makes wine I wonder how this will evolve.
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I enjoyed this bottle of Cabernet Franc made by Clark Smith but I will cellar my 2 last bottles for a few years. I'm curious to see how this will continue to develop.
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A charmingly rustic twist on California. Good earth comes out in the moderate complexity. I think it would make an excellent food wine. Paired with apres diner cheeses it was delightful.
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Delicious. After a 2.5 hour or so decant, the wine was shining with bright red fruit (cherry?) with some slight jamminess and herbaceousness. No pyrazines to speak of (somewhat sadly), but excellent balance and an excellent breath of minerality. Drink now with a decant or hold for a couple more years to see how this goes.
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45 mins in the decanter. The color is a dark reddish with just a hint of purple. This is NOT a big, fruit forward wine, it looks almost delicate in the glass. The nose is classic Cab Franc all the way. The fruit is restrained, and there’s a nice nose of that earthy funk and herbal goodness that is so unique to Cab Franc. There’s also something spicy on the nose, maybe some black pepper as well as a hint of cedar which is nice and subtle in the background, no new oak on this. The nose is really nice, one of those wines where each time you put your nose in the glass you get something different and wonderful. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied and incredibly well balanced. The acidity shines through on the medium finish. Tannins are very mild but still present. This wine would be very good with food. We’re having grass-fed strip tonight, I’ll let you know how that goes.
2 hours later – now the fruit is coming out. Nice raspberry and cranberry as well as some minerality on the tongue. And wow, there is also a nice aroma of baking spices (kind of a cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice thing???). This wine is very good. If you like a reserved, varietally correct Cab Franc I highly recommend it, but give it time to open up or give it a few more years in the bottle.
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Tried this at the socal gathering over the weekend along with about 25 other wines so this will be brief. Nice dark fruit nose with the typical green bell pepper that Cab franc is famous for, palate definitely had the green bell pepper as well with nice restrained fruit and medium grippy tannins. Enjoyed it but felt that it could have used another hour or two open. Seems like a solidly made wine.
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Appearance is brilliantly clear, and pale to medium ruby in depth, dried herbs and white cherry, dry and light to medium body, tannins present are well refined and the touch of wood seems to defy what one might expect for three years in barrel, well crafted and restrained, not your typical fruit-in-your-face CA bottle.
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12/23/2016 - klezman wrote:
On pnp this is clearly doing well. Hints of the aged Romano sort of notes that Clark often mentions. Otherwise it's bitter cherry, herbs (sage? rosemary?) and wet stone on the nose. Palate is very lively. Medium tannin, more cherry and it has a savoury depth to it.
With a bit of air, there's also a bit of rubber or petrol coming out in the palate, astonishingly like some Rieslings. The palate alternates between pure fruit and more complex savoury amalgams.
Day 2 it's more of the same. A bit more depth here and there and a bit more astringency here and there.
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11/6/2016 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
Consistent with earlier note, and those of others excepting not hot or low acid. Still quite young for a Clark bottle. Will visit again in a year or so.
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8/2/2016 - rrta wrote: 92 Points
The wine has low acidity. It smells like alcohol/hot, tobacco and tea. The wine has smooth texture.
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7/9/2015 - klezman wrote:
Very savoury and film of limestone. Red fruit, little tannin, moderate finish. Medium body. Rosemary appeared on the nose after a little while. Delicious as it is, but based on how Clark makes wine I wonder how this will evolve.
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6/7/2015 - bjwca Likes this wine: 89 Points
Much improved from my previous bottle 2 years ago.
Nice dry finish. Great QPR.
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10/6/2014 - nathanbsmith Likes this wine: 89 Points
I enjoyed this bottle of Cabernet Franc made by Clark Smith but I will cellar my 2 last bottles for a few years. I'm curious to see how this will continue to develop.
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7/13/2014 - klezman wrote:
Quite good, with nicebalance of fruit and earthy notes. Not the level of minerality i recall from the previous bottle. Excellent bottle from Clark.
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10/19/2013 - DaddyNeedsPow Likes this wine: 89 Points
A charmingly rustic twist on California. Good earth comes out in the moderate complexity. I think it would make an excellent food wine. Paired with apres diner cheeses it was delightful.
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6/14/2013 - klezman wrote:
Delicious. After a 2.5 hour or so decant, the wine was shining with bright red fruit (cherry?) with some slight jamminess and herbaceousness. No pyrazines to speak of (somewhat sadly), but excellent balance and an excellent breath of minerality. Drink now with a decant or hold for a couple more years to see how this goes.
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4/24/2013 - ddmhunter wrote: 87 Points
Light plum and hint of fruit and oak to the nose. Palate is thin but the fruit is there and followed with oak, mild tannins.
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4/3/2013 - jhkey wrote:
45 mins in the decanter. The color is a dark reddish with just a hint of purple. This is NOT a big, fruit forward wine, it looks almost delicate in the glass. The nose is classic Cab Franc all the way. The fruit is restrained, and there’s a nice nose of that earthy funk and herbal goodness that is so unique to Cab Franc. There’s also something spicy on the nose, maybe some black pepper as well as a hint of cedar which is nice and subtle in the background, no new oak on this. The nose is really nice, one of those wines where each time you put your nose in the glass you get something different and wonderful. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied and incredibly well balanced. The acidity shines through on the medium finish. Tannins are very mild but still present. This wine would be very good with food. We’re having grass-fed strip tonight, I’ll let you know how that goes.
2 hours later – now the fruit is coming out. Nice raspberry and cranberry as well as some minerality on the tongue. And wow, there is also a nice aroma of baking spices (kind of a cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice thing???). This wine is very good. If you like a reserved, varietally correct Cab Franc I highly recommend it, but give it time to open up or give it a few more years in the bottle.
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4/3/2013 - TottenCellars wrote:
Tried this at the socal gathering over the weekend along with about 25 other wines so this will be brief. Nice dark fruit nose with the typical green bell pepper that Cab franc is famous for, palate definitely had the green bell pepper as well with nice restrained fruit and medium grippy tannins. Enjoyed it but felt that it could have used another hour or two open. Seems like a solidly made wine.
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3/30/2013 - rjquillin wrote:
Appearance is brilliantly clear, and pale to medium ruby in depth, dried herbs and white cherry, dry and light to medium body, tannins present are well refined and the touch of wood seems to defy what one might expect for three years in barrel, well crafted and restrained, not your typical fruit-in-your-face CA bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment