Observations similar to those noted in my prior note. Paired well with a charbroiled boneless chicken breast seasoned with Dijon mustard, garlic and mushrooms.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has really hit its stride - I drank a few bottles around 2015 without leaving notes, and think it found it decent but not very deep or expressive then. This bottle was open for business from early on. Good Chinon with nice concentration and old-world balance of fruit : savory stuff, and versatile with chow as expected. Lost little or nothing by day 3 simply stoppered at cellar temp, so it should have years left... the tertiary aged stuff might come a little more to the fore with a few more years, and I dig that, but it's already there for my palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Marvelous nose-for lack of a better description: sweet cloves, cherry pipe tobacco, cassis, fresh red raspberry; cracked pepper and smooth dark fruits on the palate with smooth tannins on the finish. We enjoyed with chicken tacos but it would work well with lots of foods. Pleased we have another bottle left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still going very strong. Combines all of the best elements from a new world styled cab franc and the classic Chinon characteristics. I can taste (and see) the very warm spring in this wine and I would have to guess that yields were very low. They’ve obviously made a gem in a bad year. Loving the sasparilla finish. This was the runaway #1 pick on a night that featured 2 Chinon’s, a cru Beaujolais, and an Alsatian Riesling. Very good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Everything I want in a Cab Franc...pure red fruits, cracked pepper, green peppercorn, touch of leafy herbs. Midweight, silky, still grippy tannins & great acid. Has several years of life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
P&p; enjoyable right away but best with 90+ minutes of air in the bottle. Matches my note from April 2015, just slightly softened and less vivacious perhaps. A bit on the rich, ripe side stylistically, but with good typicity too (tobacco, black tea, etc.). In any case, good stuff for $17.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium (+) ruby to garnet color. Initially off the pop this was a punch in the mouth with bright acidity and big fruit. Got into itseft with a little air. Aromas of blue and dark red fruits, earth, and graphite minerality. Medium body, high acid, long finish, dark, blue, and dark red fruits, black tea, orange peel. There was an almost candied floral component earlier that was a kind of ingredient that "makes you go hmm." Enjoyed this a good bit. 90+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much better than prior bottles. Still a bit hollow due to the vintage, and still a bit polished for my taste, but those characteristics once seemed to make this wine rather boring and unlikable, but have since diminished while the quality has improved. Good wine, should continue to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perfectly passable, but seems to lack the soul of my favorite, the oh-so-inexpensive Guion, or the flash of Baudry. Not the best vintage either though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
P&p. Pungent, rich aromas of fresh berries, cigar tobacco, black tea, soft bell pepper/ veggie garden, earth, and peppery spice. Similar on the palate; delicious. Fresh and juicy, while fairly rich and concentrated. Good tart acidity. Fairly firm tannins show its youth, but it's open and drinking well right from the bottle. Peppery/spicy tobacco, tea, and earth linger in the finish. Good stuff, and a great sub-$20 value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perfumed red berries and green pepper on the nose, lush and tangy red fruit from start to finish, some bell pepper and juicy acidity. Really nice bottle. My palate is changing.
Edit: 2nd night and even better..bought more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic green pepper, celery, no real fruit notes. On taste nice depth, red fruit and green pepper. Light body, tannins up front mid-palate a little hollow but good finish. Nice classic Cabernet Franc. Crunchy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
30th Birthday Party: So floral and fresh berry-focused on the nose. Medium+ tannins with tangy acid. The bright red fruit blends with dried flowers, black olive, pepper and some English pea notes. So Cab Franc, and tasted blind I guessed 2010 Chinon. Very nice stuff that seems capable of some evolution.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/28/2021 - McMalbec Likes this wine: 92 Points
Observations similar to those noted in my prior note. Paired well with a charbroiled boneless chicken breast seasoned with Dijon mustard, garlic and mushrooms.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2021 - Charlie Pendejo Likes this wine:
This has really hit its stride - I drank a few bottles around 2015 without leaving notes, and think it found it decent but not very deep or expressive then. This bottle was open for business from early on. Good Chinon with nice concentration and old-world balance of fruit : savory stuff, and versatile with chow as expected. Lost little or nothing by day 3 simply stoppered at cellar temp, so it should have years left... the tertiary aged stuff might come a little more to the fore with a few more years, and I dig that, but it's already there for my palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2021 - McMalbec Likes this wine: 92 Points
Marvelous nose-for lack of a better description: sweet cloves, cherry pipe tobacco, cassis, fresh red raspberry; cracked pepper and smooth dark fruits on the palate with smooth tannins on the finish. We enjoyed with chicken tacos but it would work well with lots of foods. Pleased we have another bottle left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/13/2019 - TheBosWineGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still going very strong. Combines all of the best elements from a new world styled cab franc and the classic Chinon characteristics. I can taste (and see) the very warm spring in this wine and I would have to guess that yields were very low. They’ve obviously made a gem in a bad year. Loving the sasparilla finish. This was the runaway #1 pick on a night that featured 2 Chinon’s, a cru Beaujolais, and an Alsatian Riesling. Very good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2018 - cobbpa Likes this wine: 90 Points
Everything I want in a Cab Franc...pure red fruits, cracked pepper, green peppercorn, touch of leafy herbs. Midweight, silky, still grippy tannins & great acid. Has several years of life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2018 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:
P&p; enjoyable right away but best with 90+ minutes of air in the bottle. Matches my note from April 2015, just slightly softened and less vivacious perhaps. A bit on the rich, ripe side stylistically, but with good typicity too (tobacco, black tea, etc.). In any case, good stuff for $17.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2018 - studleytrey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium (+) ruby to garnet color. Initially off the pop this was a punch in the mouth with bright acidity and big fruit. Got into itseft with a little air. Aromas of blue and dark red fruits, earth, and graphite minerality. Medium body, high acid, long finish, dark, blue, and dark red fruits, black tea, orange peel. There was an almost candied floral component earlier that was a kind of ingredient that "makes you go hmm." Enjoyed this a good bit. 90+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2017 - Bob H wrote:
Light translucent ruby in the glass; primarily red fruits on a pretty nose.
Unfortunately, the nose is clearly the best part of this wine - dilute, with an abbreviated finish. Meh.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2016 - Frabjous Likes this wine:
Really singing. Nice acidity and really bright fruits with that Cab Franc twist.
Yum!
I bought a 6-pack of 2012 and the last one was instead a 2011; I wish they’d all been younger!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2016 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Much better than prior bottles. Still a bit hollow due to the vintage, and still a bit polished for my taste, but those characteristics once seemed to make this wine rather boring and unlikable, but have since diminished while the quality has improved. Good wine, should continue to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2015 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Perfectly passable, but seems to lack the soul of my favorite, the oh-so-inexpensive Guion, or the flash of Baudry. Not the best vintage either though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2015 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:
P&p. Pungent, rich aromas of fresh berries, cigar tobacco, black tea, soft bell pepper/ veggie garden, earth, and peppery spice. Similar on the palate; delicious. Fresh and juicy, while fairly rich and concentrated. Good tart acidity. Fairly firm tannins show its youth, but it's open and drinking well right from the bottle. Peppery/spicy tobacco, tea, and earth linger in the finish. Good stuff, and a great sub-$20 value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2015 - Morels Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice cab franc
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2014 - scott w Likes this wine: 90 Points
Perfumed red berries and green pepper on the nose, lush and tangy red fruit from start to finish, some bell pepper and juicy acidity. Really nice bottle. My palate is changing.
Edit: 2nd night and even better..bought more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2014 - ashegedyn Likes this wine:
Classic green pepper, celery, no real fruit notes. On taste nice depth, red fruit and green pepper. Light body, tannins up front mid-palate a little hollow but good finish. Nice classic Cabernet Franc. Crunchy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2013 - manonthemoon wrote: 90 Points
Small taste.
Really good Chinon.
Pepper and red fruit showing the way with some florals.
Solid wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 90 Points
30th Birthday Party: So floral and fresh berry-focused on the nose. Medium+ tannins with tangy acid. The bright red fruit blends with dried flowers, black olive, pepper and some English pea notes. So Cab Franc, and tasted blind I guessed 2010 Chinon. Very nice stuff that seems capable of some evolution.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment