Past its prime. Good color but the little fruit and juiciness left dissipated within half an hour. The tannins were earthy, and increasingly came across as a bit dirty. Mild VA was also a problem, so while drinkable, not enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
After an hour decant this Cab Franc was a decent wine. Having that Traditional vegetable, bell pepper undertones, with a dark Cherry and peppery base. Day two this wine fell off dramatically leaving me very neutral on it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A different Cab Franc in that it has oakyness of a heavy cab & pepper of a Zin. Has enough fruit to provide the softness so that masculinity of wine isn't overbearing. Gets better wt each passing moment so should be better later tonite. Drink only if you're in the mode for a heavy, dry albeit tasty wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Garnet with medium viscosity in the glass. Cassis, oak, rasberries, pepper, heat and black licorice on the nose. Med-full body with powerful black and red fruit on the palate. Loads of pepper and oak too. Good structure. Chalky, grippy tannin. Medium finish. On the simple side, but I can see this pairing with prime rib.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle. For a CF, this is really good value at $20-25 retail. Chocolate, sweet, thick. A hint of potpourri. Nice long finish, though a bit sweet for my taste. The nose got me a bit nervous at the beginning, but it blew over after 20 minutes or so. Tannins are fairly tame.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby and purple hues with medium viscosity in the glass. Nose of plum, rasberry, mushroom, cassis and oak. Secondary menthol. Medium body with fresh raspberry, blueberry and plum on the palate. Fruit fades by mid-palate leaving green and super tight tannin. Medium finish. Needs time, though the fruit proly' will not hold up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The second of four wines at the Flesher bash. We are fiendish for a good cab franc. This wine, IMO, is the true embodiment of a good Napa CF. The nose out of this bottle was all lilac and hawthorne. Uncorked with a rather ruby red cork with about 1-2mm of cork bleed. The wine was poured into glass after about 20 minutes of sitting. The entry was consistent with a floral and sweet entry - baker's sweet chocolate combined with flowers and a brambly presence with a hint of blackberry and black cherry. This wine became more dense as it sat opened. The chocolate and earth and spice seemed to swirl very nicely with the sweeter front from the floral notes. I have enjoyed Ch. Montelena, Crocker and Starr, Cornerstone, Paradigm, and some of the other Napa CF's that I think are hallmark to the true embodiment of Napa Cab Franc. This wine finished with a significant amount of dusty tannins that complemented the more delicate flavors noted previously. Floral, floral, floral. Excellent pre-steak wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
nose: dried violet flower petals, stony, raspberry, high heat, herbal, opens up with more fruit taste: soft, light sweetness, finely grained texture, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, approaching jammy, currants, stones, medium body, finishes with some oak
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
When first popped and poured, very dark cherry in the nose, with a weird, astringent note in the mouth -- almost like green apples (low malolactic fermentation in a red?). After a couple hours open, more integrated, with cherry and herb notes over a crisp mineral/malic note. Remarkably alive for a Napa wine from this vintage.
Drink through 2016.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic California Cab Franc and perhaps the best I have ever tasted. Not much of a vegetal hint here which I deem as positive in a Cab Franc (even from Chinon). Excellent ripe fruit and a smooth finish. Bravo Louis!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured at a wine bar. Dark red berries, black cherries, green bell pepper, and cocoa powder on the nose and palate. Nice chewy tannins but the finish was a bit short.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a smooth excellent wine. Berries and cherries on the taste. Some cedar. A firm wine but very easy on the finish. This is my first experience with this wine and I would definitely purchase it again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Black cherry and blackberry nose. Sweet tannins on the attack, which grow through the finish. Black raspberry and hints of cherry up front, with cranberry and hints of plum and cedar coming in at the transition and into the long finish. Moderately intense but balanced. 14.5%
open 2+ hours -- much the same, although there's a tinge of cedar on the nose and throughout the wine; tannins have largely been tamed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Phenomenal! Best Cab Franc I've ever had, bar none! Huge, rich, complex, perfectly balanced. Loads of dark fruit with a delicious covering of spice box and caramel/vanilla on the nose and palette. WONDERFUL!! Will buy more! (NOTE: Definitely needs to breathe a bit before it truly comes alive)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice nose of dark cherry, tea and hints of rose petals. The palate is overwhelmed with cocoa and cedar with a hot finish. Went well with stuffed shells which seemed to tone it down a bit. Not one of my favorites but pretty good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The color is almost black. The nose has aromas are dark and rich; black and blueberry fruit, cocoa, smoky tea and toasty oak. Definitely needs decanting and seems young. the palate was all over the place. Lots of tang, big cherry and coco lavender and mineral earth emerge to add interest. The fruit takes over, a riot of red and black berries and stone fruit dominating with savory oak and the darker elements of earth and cocoa flavors showing around the edges. Tannins are gripping. This wine was a little disjointed to me. It is not smooth and enjoyable. It does have some strong characteristics in the tea and coco area but it is just not smooth enough for me at 26 bucks a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blind tasting to try this cab franc. Quite a surprise as it was the favorite of the evening. Robust and full flavored compared to several more expensive imports and CA cabs. Best after 5-6 hours. Lots of cherry and raspbery with a smooth finish, full bodied round on the palate. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/11/2018 - wilypod wrote:
Past its prime. Good color but the little fruit and juiciness left dissipated within half an hour. The tannins were earthy, and increasingly came across as a bit dirty. Mild VA was also a problem, so while drinkable, not enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2014 - jadi Likes this wine: 88 Points
Lots going on. Really enjoyable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2014 - tc from santee wrote: 86 Points
After an hour decant this Cab Franc was a decent wine. Having that Traditional vegetable, bell pepper undertones, with a dark Cherry and peppery base. Day two this wine fell off dramatically leaving me very neutral on it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2013 - ddgd Likes this wine: 90 Points
Beautifully smooth with a memorable long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2012 - Winoluver wrote: 90 Points
A different Cab Franc in that it has oakyness of a heavy cab & pepper of a Zin. Has enough fruit to provide the softness so that masculinity of wine isn't overbearing. Gets better wt each passing moment so should be better later tonite. Drink only if you're in the mode for a heavy, dry albeit tasty wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2012 - christophee wrote: 84 Points
Garnet with medium viscosity in the glass. Cassis, oak, rasberries, pepper, heat and black licorice on the nose. Med-full body with powerful black and red fruit on the palate. Loads of pepper and oak too. Good structure. Chalky, grippy tannin. Medium finish. On the simple side, but I can see this pairing with prime rib.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2012 - fournet wrote: 88 Points
I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle. For a CF, this is really good value at $20-25 retail. Chocolate, sweet, thick. A hint of potpourri. Nice long finish, though a bit sweet for my taste. The nose got me a bit nervous at the beginning, but it blew over after 20 minutes or so. Tannins are fairly tame.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2012 - christophee Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Ruby and purple hues with medium viscosity in the glass. Nose of plum, rasberry, mushroom, cassis and oak. Secondary menthol. Medium body with fresh raspberry, blueberry and plum on the palate. Fruit fades by mid-palate leaving green and super tight tannin. Medium finish. Needs time, though the fruit proly' will not hold up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2012 - rpontual wrote: 90 Points
Heavy on tannin, I recommend more cellar time. Other than that a well balanced wine, promising for the future
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2012 - mflesh wrote: 92 Points
The second of four wines at the Flesher bash. We are fiendish for a good cab franc. This wine, IMO, is the true embodiment of a good Napa CF. The nose out of this bottle was all lilac and hawthorne. Uncorked with a rather ruby red cork with about 1-2mm of cork bleed. The wine was poured into glass after about 20 minutes of sitting. The entry was consistent with a floral and sweet entry - baker's sweet chocolate combined with flowers and a brambly presence with a hint of blackberry and black cherry. This wine became more dense as it sat opened. The chocolate and earth and spice seemed to swirl very nicely with the sweeter front from the floral notes. I have enjoyed Ch. Montelena, Crocker and Starr, Cornerstone, Paradigm, and some of the other Napa CF's that I think are hallmark to the true embodiment of Napa Cab Franc. This wine finished with a significant amount of dusty tannins that complemented the more delicate flavors noted previously. Floral, floral, floral. Excellent pre-steak wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2012 - gwd corporate wrote:
Intense blackberry and blueberry fruit, cocoa, smoky tea and toasty oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2012 - pizzasomm wrote: 87 Points
nose: dried violet flower petals, stony, raspberry, high heat, herbal, opens up with more fruit
taste: soft, light sweetness, finely grained texture, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, approaching jammy, currants, stones, medium body, finishes with some oak
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2012 - wabi47 wrote: 89 Points
dark cherry and tea with herb/alfalfa; very good fruit density and typicity; still seems young
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2012 - Bigbadbrewsky wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic fruit and a really sophisticated structure with beautiful tannins. It was truly a pleasure to drink. Took 2 hours to really open up though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2012 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Sweet tobacco, herbal, black cherry notes with a medium body; dense red purple color; good earth tones; like a good cru bourgeois.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2011 - THaas wrote: 91 Points
When first popped and poured, very dark cherry in the nose, with a weird, astringent note in the mouth -- almost like green apples (low malolactic fermentation in a red?). After a couple hours open, more integrated, with cherry and herb notes over a crisp mineral/malic note. Remarkably alive for a Napa wine from this vintage.
Drink through 2016.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2011 - Julius Squeezer wrote: 91 Points
Tasted with winemaker Louis de Coninck...
Fantastic California Cab Franc and perhaps the best I have ever tasted. Not much of a vegetal hint here which I deem as positive in a Cab Franc (even from Chinon). Excellent ripe fruit and a smooth finish. Bravo Louis!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2011 - Julius Squeezer wrote: 88 Points
Nice California Cab Franc but it doesn't come close to this estate's "L Cuvee" which is maybe the best California Cab Franc I have ever tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2011 - Canesgirl2006 wrote: 88 Points
Zingerman's Roadhouse
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2011 - rentmp3 wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured at a wine bar. Dark red berries, black cherries, green bell pepper, and cocoa powder on the nose and palate. Nice chewy tannins but the finish was a bit short.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2011 - WineSmith wrote: 91 Points
This is a smooth excellent wine. Berries and cherries on the taste. Some cedar. A firm wine but very easy on the finish. This is my first experience with this wine and I would definitely purchase it again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2010 - DrT999 wrote: 89 Points
Black cherry and blackberry nose. Sweet tannins on the attack, which grow through the finish. Black raspberry and hints of cherry up front, with cranberry and hints of plum and cedar coming in at the transition and into the long finish. Moderately intense but balanced. 14.5%
open 2+ hours -- much the same, although there's a tinge of cedar on the nose and throughout the wine; tannins have largely been tamed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2010 - OTTnMIA wrote: 91 Points
Phenomenal! Best Cab Franc I've ever had, bar none! Huge, rich, complex, perfectly balanced. Loads of dark fruit with a delicious covering of spice box and caramel/vanilla on the nose and palette. WONDERFUL!! Will buy more! (NOTE: Definitely needs to breathe a bit before it truly comes alive)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2010 - Esb1954 wrote: 89 Points
Great
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2010 - CabIsKing wrote: 88 Points
Nice nose of dark cherry, tea and hints of rose petals. The palate is overwhelmed with cocoa and cedar with a hot finish. Went well with stuffed shells which seemed to tone it down a bit. Not one of my favorites but pretty good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2010 - bjohnson350 wrote: 85 Points
The color is almost black. The nose has aromas are dark and rich; black and blueberry fruit, cocoa, smoky tea and toasty oak. Definitely needs decanting and seems young. the palate was all over the place. Lots of tang, big cherry and coco lavender and mineral earth emerge to add interest. The fruit takes over, a riot of red and black berries and stone fruit dominating with savory oak and the darker elements of earth and cocoa flavors showing around the edges. Tannins are gripping. This wine was a little disjointed to me. It is not smooth and enjoyable. It does have some strong characteristics in the tea and coco area but it is just not smooth enough for me at 26 bucks a bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2010 - LenV wrote: 90 Points
Blind tasting to try this cab franc. Quite a surprise as it was the favorite of the evening. Robust and full flavored compared to several more expensive imports and CA cabs. Best after 5-6 hours. Lots of cherry and raspbery with a smooth finish, full bodied round on the palate. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment