My last bottle of this wine. I really love it. Still drinking beautifully and showing all the complexity and sophistication of a right Bank Cabernet Franc with a little Merlot splashed in there. If you love the smell of a number two pencil from your grade school days then this wine will usher you back.
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Tasted slightly chilled from a Silver Oak tasting glass, didn't decant and tried it over 30 minutes as it opened up. This is 71% Cabernet Franc, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beau Terror and Hyde vineyards in the Carneros. This wine is in a great place right now. A very expressive bouquet that suggests a more fruit-forward wine, but the palate is restrained: steely red and black fruits, hints of blueberry. The "steely" part is literal: There's almost a Syrah-like character lurking in this Bordeaux blend with the faintly metallic aftertaste. But that's a secondary feature in a well-made wine. The tannins and acidity are well balanced and quite present after 15 years. I think this wine could age at least 3-5 more years, though it's drinking well right now.
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Really a great wine that's in a perfect place right now. Was slightly tannic on opening, but double decanted (lots of fine sediment - main recommendation would be to stand up a day or 2 in advance) and it opened up very quickly.
Balanced, dark fruit with lively acid. Especially beautiful nose. Highly recommend, and wish we had more.
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Decanted one hour prior to serving, consumed over two nights. Night one I found this to be slightly dominated by grippy tannins, but plenty of herbal round goodness to keep me happy. On night two, the tannins had receded and come into balance with the rest of the wine, making it absolutely beautiful. There are many years of life left for those lucky enough to have more. Alas, this was my only bottle of this vintage.
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Plummy and curranty fruit with a little spice, its modest weight and ripeness make it friendly and approachable but with subtle depth reminiscent of 1989 La Dominique. Very well done.
This was so great last night. Dark red fruit, with pretty soil and spices. The wine was plush, but not soft or anything like that. It was lovely and drinking perfect right now!
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Popped and poured. Medium to dark crimson color. Nose of dark red fruit with currant, plum and black cherry notes along with a bit of cedar cigar box and just a hint of oak spice coming through. Similar flavors on the palate with lots of fruit for a 12 year old wine. Some secondary flavors of sweet tobacco starting to come through a little as well. Medium acid, medium+ tannin. Drinking very nicely right now with plenty of life left.
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C: Dark, glowing red N: Notes of black raspberries P: Opens nicely, if a touch edgy (tannic). Notes of brambly berries. On the short side. After a day on the counter under RePour, it opened about the same, but then got smoother, longer and deeper. So a bit evolved. An overall sense of character--gravitas and nobility. A real vin de garde I think, with the sense of having been very carefully made. (Drank a second bottle sometime, but forgot to make a TN for it. Liked it as well.) Third bottle, 5/3/19: Decanted this one 2 1/2 hrs. A room-filling aroma, with a strong nutty component. Palate with note of leather. Fully integrated fruit. Overall, fully mature but still on the young side--so no hurry needed here! Smooth, reasonable length and great balance. Rich, deep, noble. Quite a wine! Definitely preferable to the 2008 IMHO. 12/25/19: Consistent. Needed maybe 20 min to fully open. Big hit with the crowd. 4/29/20: PnP. Good, but not so compelling. After two days on counter with a Repour, it was strutting its stuff. Really liked it. 10/1/20: Opened in honor of winemaker Emily, due to the fire at her place. Decanted about 30 min. Very nice the first night. Consistent with the above. After a night on the counter with a Repour (that had been used once, so perhaps a bit more oxygen got by than would have with a new one) it really started to sing. The disparate elements came together into a harmonious whole. This is a very good wine, just remember to give it a good decant or keep it for a while. As a result, I'm upping the score to three stars.
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A year and a half later on PnP this is drinking beautifully. Really nicely integrated, this is a very smooth old world Bdx style blend. Will revisit a day or two later. As some have said, I wish I had bought more of this. I am not sure this will improve with more time in the bottle, but it also does not seem to be on the decline either.
Edit: On day 2, Still drinking nicely. Not quite as much yum factor. Perhaps a little more one dimensional on the initial palate -- but the finish is fine and long. Day 2 does not change my score of 91 -- this is an excellent wine at the moment.
My last note on this was a year ago. This was a really dark color. Not as full bodied as my previous bottles. After 60 minutes, it was a little musty. Time to drink up.
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Ruby in color with a nose of cherry and some barnyard funk. On the pnp an easy entry and decent mid palate but the funky smell was off putting. After 2 hours in the decanter most of the funk blew off and left a residual earthiness with dark cherry and blackberry. While fairly smooth this had a short finish. This is my 4th bottle over a 2 year period and each bottle shows a little less quality than the one before it. At 10 years old this may be starting to deteriorate.
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4 Years later and this wine is singing! Cherry leather and earthy spice, tannin and acid in perfect balance. Decanted for an hour and this is an excellent bottle.
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Dark cherry, leather and earth notes are most prominent. Very deep with tannins still in the forefront. Should cellar for awhile yet, but very enjoyable now. Nice long finish. Opens in about 30 minutes and only gets better from there. Great wine.
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This is a lovely European style bdx blend. At first pretty closed, after a few hours in a broad based decanter, this becomes a bit more integrated. Nose of cherry, leather, and other classic bdx aromas. The palate is a bit closed, and there is some oak that emerges after a while in the decanter. I like this, though it seems a bit closed at the moment. Curious to visit it in a few years.
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I was really looking forward to enjoying this wine, but it was overshadowed by an '11 CdP. This is a smooth wine that still has tannins, suggesting that it's still young. This was an enjoyable wine. That's a good thing because i'll drink my other bottle in 2 years. No further notes as I was at a Superbowl party. Drank over 90 minutes.
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Cabernet Franc shines here. Bright, lifted raspberry, red currant, and pressed flower bouquet segues into aromas of leather, graphite, and wax. The palate is polished and layered, complex and vinous, deep and mysterious, showing no fade whatsoever. Mid-to-full bodied, structured, and balanced, oak is perfectly integrated into the fold, allowing the ideal tension between fruit and savory elements. Long, elegant, and graceful. Beautiful.
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We decided we wanted a reliable, aged well wine for dinner. Delivered with guarantee :-) The decanting time is shorter now (basically, PnP). It did not seem to fade over the evening. Very nice earthy notes from PnP. As others noted, the nose (and floral) are notable even from a nice distance from the glass. Finish somewhat longer than I recalled, well balanced fruits on the palate. For the rest see previous notes. I think it may be a real 93+ now (even 94). Can't find a better qpr for the price we got it. Best deal on well aged wine we had for a long time. Glad we have more to enjoy for the next few years. Drink, enjoy and drink again
(we left abit for day 2 tasting. So far, very good. Does not seem to fade Day 3 Edit: Last small glass for each. Stable- same as day 2. Good work! )
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Decanted for 90 minutes, uncorked at dinner and let it sit for another hour or so. This is a food wine. Not a fan by itself, but when I paired this with duck it was very good and savory.
Beautiful nose that you can smell from several feet away.
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Popped and poured. Dark crimson color. Dark red berry fruit and hints of cassis with some underlying earthy and vegetal notes. Similar flavors on the palate with black cherry and dark red berry fruit flavors and some mint. Medium+ acid and tannin with a slightly sweet and chewy tannins but in balance with the fruit. Well made wine for sure.
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Ok, this wine...searching for superlatives...rocks. Is delicious. Super tasty. It took waaaaaaay too long for me to find Virage.
First impression is, this is a wine of balance. I'm not speaking of balance in the traditional way - although it's got that too - in terms of the balance of its components. But, more uniquely, this shows balance in terms of the style spectrum. It speaks to traditional Napa - red fruited, with structure, acidity, cedar/earth/soil notes, purity of fruit, aging potential (it's my only data point, but it seems to still be on the upswing, judging by its evolution over the course of the evening). But, it's got a foot in modernity as well - it's a rich, intense, concentrated wine, explosive in flavor and definitely not shy.
Red fruits on the attack - currant, Santa Rosa plum, even a bit of macerated cherry in its core. These characters seem to give the wine some lift that is so often missing from typical Napa - no dull, cumbersome, dark fruit/oak/overextraction here. Pondering the wine as I sip it slowly, it is on the midpalate where the flavor profile both broadens and deepens. Here, the bitter chocolate, dusty earth, herbs come into focus; elevating the experience and enhancing the complexity. It finishes long, polished, and elegant.
The tannins! Perfect. Chewy, round, ripe. They frame the wine, giving it focus, but with a total lack of astringency or verdancy or other distracting qualities. This is not somebody's first attempt at tannin management, this is serious high end Napa winemaking here.
Bravo and thank you, Emily! And thank you Berserker Day for the impetus to try this outstanding friggin wine.
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I last tried this wine in 2013, and really didn't care for it - had an off-putting undertone of funk that it couldn't shake. Decided to try it one more time before deciding to send the rest off to auction, and what a difference a few years makes. Some initial funk that blew off with about an hour in the decanter, and then a wonderfully subtle and restrained wine that we really enjoyed. Little bit of herb and even spiciness, nice rolling set of flavors that evolve on the tongue. Glad it isn't going to auction and I'm going to be buying a few of the 2012s to cellar.
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Great nose, showing some really nice savory development of the fruit. Like the direction this is going. Cassis flavors up front, leaner and earthier on the mid-palate, more herbal finish with a bit of harshness. The structure is holding up nicely, ongoing development looks very positive. May not round out fully with time, but there's great complexity and no heavy-handed oak or superripe fruit flavors.
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Recommended to me by the Von's Pavilion's wine manager, Shoneen. As usual she is spot on. Great nose. This has nice structure with good complexity and a decently long finish. Great bottle for the money. Going back to buy more tomorrow.
A very good medium-lite body wine. After 30 minutes to open the fruit really comes out - a little plum with a hint of cherry. I sense this wine is toward the end of its drinking window.
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This has all the aromatic complexities of great cabernet franc, with textured tannins. A long and elegant finish, hanging on to the tongue. Quality juice, holding strong.
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Consistent with my previous notes, and even better. I think the needed decanting time is shorter now, and it is a more complex, enjoyable wine. I wanted something that was a 100 percent guarantee pure enjoyment wine tonight, and did not think twice before opening this one. Emily knows wine!
(Day 2 update- tastes even better than day one, on both nose and finish. I think this wine will have longer life than initially forecasted)
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A dark red wine. Fruit appeared thin the first 35 minutes but as the wine opened its fruit came out more. This is a good wine that needs to be decanted or opened a hour before enjoying. It has plenty of cellar time left.
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After being open and sitting in glass for over 1 hour
Nose: raspberry creme, hints of cedar and earth with just a touch of sweet spices. Smells great
Palate: initially a little bit lean but mid palate has some fullness to the flavors. Tastes of earthy, bramble cherries like they used some whole clusters in this wine. Like the balanced spices and just a touch of cedar and roses on the finish. Tannins are fine, medium balanced along with medium acidity. More on the lean side with no overripe fruits or flappy tastes.
Deep red center, red/purple rim with some signs of age. Sweet and fruity up front, mashed plums and ripe cherries, a little herbaceous, olive skins. Smooth, dark cherries, then acidity and good tannins, a little lean in the middle, good ripe fruit on the finish, not green, some slightly distracting wood overtones lurk in the background. Seems a little out of balance at the moment, has acid and tannins to last a while, not sure if the fruit will follow but interesting to see where this goes.
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Decanted approx. 30 min. ... Straddles the line well between rich and lean. Very well structured, with fruit present, but not a primary note. It's all about the earth and leather. Tannins are firm, with a big pop of acid, indicating a lot of life left and potential for further development. A very good wine that is extremely food friendly.
Decanted for around 30 mins. Dark purple color. Not overly aromatic on the nose with some black cherry and currant along with a bit of pyrazine and cedar cigar box. Slightly tight on the palate with medium+ tannin and acidity covering up some very nice dark fruit and earthy, tobacco flavors. Definitely more of a food wine, at least right now, I think this wine will be better with a bit more age on it or a longer decant if drinking now. It is definitely a well made and well balanced wine and I look forward to my remaining bottles.
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I would start with a personal statement: I am stupid. I said, here I said it. I am stupid that I did not try this wine before. I am stupid that I've delayed it on my to-do list for almost 2 years. You can refer to other CT notes, but I'd give some highlights from my tasting:
Finish, medium plus long. On the nose, dry fruits? checks. Works well with Berries? check. forest fruits? check Currants- check. On King Cab's note " It's approach is very 'Right Bank'"? Check. He is on the money. All round open for a special and no special reason wine? Check. Emily- Well done!
Reference points: (a) Partner asked for more (b) She located it above many other wines but below Endre '08 we had few weeks ago (I located it closer to equal). (c) I located it one of the best QPR in long time. Finish... yummi ! Color... lovely Drinking window: My window is open, I drink it now :-)
Postscript(05-03 ~noon)- I read the notes wrt decanting/time and looked at the bottle. There was a bit less than a glass left (overnight in cellar). Into a glass, and indeed the finish is longer than yesterday (not alot longer though). Very nice nose.
(92-93 pts)
Postscript(05/25): voted with wallet and purchased a case. At this price range, a steal qpr
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Quite austere bordeaux blend. Firm textures. Not a full-throttle wine by any means. Tannins were quite strong in this bottle - needs time. I did not do the lengthy decant. However, 1/3 bottle was much better and more approachable the next day.
My first experience with this producer. I have one more bottle of 2007 and will try and hide it for several years.
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Opened 30 minutes prior to serving. Paired with grilled London Broil steak. Initial nose was cocoa, oak, blueberry, and cassis. Some dusty elements too. As it opened it started to show more VA, there was a persistent vinegary aroma throughout the wine. It also manifested on the palate. While it never dominated, it was distracting enough for everyone to comment on. Good body and good balance, I think this wine would have been a lot better had it not been for the volatile acidity.
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Front end and mid palate were quite nice while finish struck me at tannic. I've read previous reviews and wonder if a taster's astringency might be what I consider due to tannins. I think this could easily last several more years. If tannins mellow over time, this warrants a higher score. For drinking now, I much prefer the 2008, which was bought at the same time, but tasted a week earlier.
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Very smooth Bordeaux blend. The heavy cab franc blend is silkier and darker than I would have expected. Dark fruit, tobacco, coffee. Sweet plum/prune dominates. Goes down easy.
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Similar to last bottle. Finish was dried out and astringent. Good nose of earthy cherry aromas. Given the overall notes, it looks like I've had a couple of subpar bottles.
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I have had nearly a case of this wine and I cannot believe that I have not put up any tasting notes. First off this wine is beautiful! On the nose cranberry's, black cherries, earth and a floral note. Taste black cherries, leather earth black currants beautifully, waves of flavors hit you and a long finish, beautifully structured and balanced.
Can't wait for the 08's to show up next week.
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Always an interesting wine. Nose of dried herbs and red/black fruits of red cherries, currants, pomegranate and more. It's approach is very 'Right Bank'. I know that was the goal of the winemaker/proprietor. Palate shows those fruits with a finely knit texture and firm backbone. Some pretty floral notes are in here too. Tannins are slick & well positioned, this should have a long life ahead of it. Overall balance it well done on this. Finish is long and all those wonderful fresh and 'brilliant' fruits remain in play. Down to my last bottle and time to call Emily. In the last year or two I am really enjoying what Cab Franc has to offer when she is showing her best.
OK, this wine is still very good and hasn't budge since I last tasted. Tannins are firm from the start with some strawberry fruit then a big whack of cedar on the attack followed by graphite, like a no. 2 pencil. This should last for the ages. Well built. Only one left, need to restock.
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I opened this 2 hours ago and did not taste it. A serious wine no doubt. Refined nose of dried red and black fruits, cardamom and soft understated boysenberries. Palate has perfect balance, purity and poise. Some earth, some graphite, some sage and some worn leather are in here too; Balance is incredible with a distinct propensity to make you want to eat something. Something really good. (Today: Rib veal on the grill with grilled baby yukons). Some dusty tannins and an acidity that plays nicely; it creates the vehicle which all else travels upon. It certainly gets darker as if sit in the glass, both in color and on the palate. finish is crazy long, dominated with ripe black currant, kirsch and plum skins. Pretty, powerful and fully in control of all senses above the neck. Love it.
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Not a strong showing for this bottle. Drinks tight, perhaps reductive, and finishes disjointed. It feels heavier, less elegant.; the bottle last year was far more open. The tannic structure is more pronounced now, though, so this probably should lay down for a few years at this point. See previous note for organoleptic details.
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Produced from a blend of 71% Cabernet Franc and 24% Merlot is made as a hommage to the Right Bank wines of Bordeaux. With scents of black cherry, smoke, leaves, jam, herbs and tobacco. This soft, medium/full bodied wine finishes with dusty tannins
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Falltacular 2011 (FMIII in the OC): Wow, is this an awesome wine. I had a taste 15 seconds after the bottle was opened (with the owner, thank you) and the wine was excellent, a couple hours and you're telling me it'll be better? Yikes, good juice. Very interesting complexity with pencil shaving weaving in and out through the palate and finish. Great mouthfeel.
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What a beautiful wine. Pop and pour. This has pretty hue of purple tinged crimson. The nose showed some bing cherries, red raspberries and red plums. A multi-layered joy to behold that just kept giving, this was bright and lively on the palate. There was zero of the negative stuff CF can have. Perfectly balanced and lilty with a purity and focus that tip toes over bind-boggling, this was a lite to mid-weight wine initially but after about an hour this gained some weight as well as some black fruits of currants and black plum. A luscious and plush CF blend that has structure, breed and elegance. It crescendos into a long opulent finish. Fantastic.
Possibly the best CF blend I have sampled to date. Get on this list and buy this wine. $45 and well worth the tariff.
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On initial pop and pour taste has savory/meaty quality, currant, cedar and mint. A fair amount of oak shows in the mouth, but it seems to be high quality French and integrated as a fine grained texture. Not quite opaque, between crimson and purple in color. Definite beginning, middle and end on the palate.
Decanted, then consumed over several hours. Savory aromas dissipate, while tobacco and floral aromas emerge. Palate is layered with plums and currants up front, a bit of creaminess on the mid-palate, and tobacco and herbs on the finish. A complete wine with genuine complexity. Oak does show rather strongly on the palate, though perhaps this will integrate better over time. This is not an especially chocolatey, coffeed or toasty style. The acidity is slightly mouthwatering but approachable, while the tannic structure is very fine. Medium to med/full body with firm but integrated structure. Dry, though not austere.
There's a palpable tension between a subtle herbaceous undercurrent and the fruit and oak components. A layered, multi-faceted wine that was best on its last sip. The oak on the palate is a bit distracting ultimately, but on the whole it is complementary and doesn't obscure other aromas. Shows a well-polished cooler-climate Cab Franc profile.
I had guessed a pH of 3.6-3.7, with around 50% new (French) oak. Actual numbers are 3.75 and 40%, so not too far off. TA is 5.8 g/L, near the sweet spot where a wine is fresh but approachable. 71% Cab F, 24% Merlot, 5% Cab S.
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12/25/2023 - Voleduvin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still showing deep fruit and great depth. Old style California cab holding up very well over time.
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12/11/2022 - brigcampbell wrote:
My last bottle of this wine. I really love it. Still drinking beautifully and showing all the complexity and sophistication of a right Bank Cabernet Franc with a little Merlot splashed in there. If you love the smell of a number two pencil from your grade school days then this wine will usher you back.
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7/30/2022 - huevosconvino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted slightly chilled from a Silver Oak tasting glass, didn't decant and tried it over 30 minutes as it opened up. This is 71% Cabernet Franc, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beau Terror and Hyde vineyards in the Carneros. This wine is in a great place right now. A very expressive bouquet that suggests a more fruit-forward wine, but the palate is restrained: steely red and black fruits, hints of blueberry. The "steely" part is literal: There's almost a Syrah-like character lurking in this Bordeaux blend with the faintly metallic aftertaste. But that's a secondary feature in a well-made wine. The tannins and acidity are well balanced and quite present after 15 years. I think this wine could age at least 3-5 more years, though it's drinking well right now.
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3/31/2022 - sfochild Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really a great wine that's in a perfect place right now. Was slightly tannic on opening, but double decanted (lots of fine sediment - main recommendation would be to stand up a day or 2 in advance) and it opened up very quickly.
Balanced, dark fruit with lively acid. Especially beautiful nose. Highly recommend, and wish we had more.
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5/8/2021 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
Decanted one hour prior to serving, consumed over two nights. Night one I found this to be slightly dominated by grippy tannins, but plenty of herbal round goodness to keep me happy. On night two, the tannins had receded and come into balance with the rest of the wine, making it absolutely beautiful. There are many years of life left for those lucky enough to have more. Alas, this was my only bottle of this vintage.
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12/25/2020 - dsgris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well done with a good balance of fruit and acid. Tasting well with my PN palate.
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9/30/2020 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plummy and curranty fruit with a little spice, its modest weight and ripeness make it friendly and approachable but with subtle depth reminiscent of 1989 La Dominique. Very well done.
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5/29/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:
What a difference four years makes! This wine is very much alive and in a wonderful place. PnP.
Very elegant, medium tannin, a joy to drink. Perfumed nose, feminine.
Paired expertly with a grilled ribeye.
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5/23/2020 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was so great last night. Dark red fruit, with pretty soil and spices. The wine was plush, but not soft or anything like that. It was lovely and drinking perfect right now!
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12/2/2019 - Rbtrage wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic wine. Excellent QPR. Drinking at peak, but no sign of fading. Better on day 2.
Day 3 - upgrading the score to 94 from 93. Wow, what a good wine. Poor men’s Cheval Blanc?!
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7/29/2019 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Cassis & blackberries. Chocolate, forest floor. Chewy tannins. Mature, but still lush.
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6/14/2019 - Rich S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Medium to dark crimson color. Nose of dark red fruit with currant, plum and black cherry notes along with a bit of cedar cigar box and just a hint of oak spice coming through. Similar flavors on the palate with lots of fruit for a 12 year old wine. Some secondary flavors of sweet tobacco starting to come through a little as well. Medium acid, medium+ tannin. Drinking very nicely right now with plenty of life left.
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12/30/2018 - wynnewood500 Likes this wine:
PNP, opening nicely in the glass. Smooth, medium bodied, very little tannin. An excellent blend.
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12/24/2018 - Peter Kleban Likes this wine:
***
C: Dark, glowing red
N: Notes of black raspberries
P: Opens nicely, if a touch edgy (tannic). Notes of brambly berries. On the short side. After a day on the counter under RePour, it opened about the same, but then got smoother, longer and deeper. So a bit evolved. An overall sense of character--gravitas and nobility. A real vin de garde I think, with the sense of having been very carefully made.
(Drank a second bottle sometime, but forgot to make a TN for it. Liked it as well.)
Third bottle, 5/3/19:
Decanted this one 2 1/2 hrs.
A room-filling aroma, with a strong nutty component.
Palate with note of leather. Fully integrated fruit. Overall, fully mature but still on the young side--so no hurry needed here! Smooth, reasonable length and great balance. Rich, deep, noble. Quite a wine!
Definitely preferable to the 2008 IMHO.
12/25/19:
Consistent. Needed maybe 20 min to fully open. Big hit with the crowd.
4/29/20:
PnP. Good, but not so compelling. After two days on counter with a Repour, it was strutting its stuff. Really liked it.
10/1/20:
Opened in honor of winemaker Emily, due to the fire at her place.
Decanted about 30 min. Very nice the first night. Consistent with the above. After a night on the counter with a Repour (that had been used once, so perhaps a bit more oxygen got by than would have with a new one) it really started to sing. The disparate elements came together into a harmonious whole. This is a very good wine, just remember to give it a good decant or keep it for a while. As a result, I'm upping the score to three stars.
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11/7/2018 - Ron Slye wrote: 91 Points
A year and a half later on PnP this is drinking beautifully. Really nicely integrated, this is a very smooth old world Bdx style blend. Will revisit a day or two later. As some have said, I wish I had bought more of this. I am not sure this will improve with more time in the bottle, but it also does not seem to be on the decline either.
Edit: On day 2, Still drinking nicely. Not quite as much yum factor. Perhaps a little more one dimensional on the initial palate -- but the finish is fine and long. Day 2 does not change my score of 91 -- this is an excellent wine at the moment.
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10/23/2018 - AngryPrez wrote: 92 Points
absolutely outstanding - ready to go on pop and pour - wish I had bought more
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7/17/2018 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
damn nice bottle, BD purchase.
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5/5/2018 - dhammer53 wrote: 89 Points
My last note on this was a year ago. This was a really dark color. Not as full bodied as my previous bottles. After 60 minutes, it was a little musty. Time to drink up.
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4/11/2018 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking great now. Could go another few years though. Black cherry, tobacco, leather, forest floor.
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9/16/2017 - njgolfer wrote: 90 Points
Nose: black fruits, mint, graphite
Palate: fine tannins. Fairly short on finish. Tastes also of black fruits, hints of mint.
Enjoyable but need to drink up now.
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8/14/2017 - RayT wrote: 89 Points
Ruby in color with a nose of cherry and some barnyard funk. On the pnp an easy entry and decent mid palate but the funky smell was off putting. After 2 hours in the decanter most of the funk blew off and left a residual earthiness with dark cherry and blackberry. While fairly smooth this had a short finish. This is my 4th bottle over a 2 year period and each bottle shows a little less quality than the one before it. At 10 years old this may be starting to deteriorate.
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7/8/2017 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Prime time.
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6/20/2017 - scott w Likes this wine:
Another pretty great bottle, needed a half hour in the decanter to open up.
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5/21/2017 - scott w Likes this wine: 92 Points
4 Years later and this wine is singing! Cherry leather and earthy spice, tannin and acid in perfect balance. Decanted for an hour and this is an excellent bottle.
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3/23/2017 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark cherry, leather and earth notes are most prominent. Very deep with tannins still in the forefront. Should cellar for awhile yet, but very enjoyable now. Nice long finish. Opens in about 30 minutes and only gets better from there. Great wine.
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3/19/2017 - Ron Slye wrote: 89 Points
This is a lovely European style bdx blend. At first pretty closed, after a few hours in a broad based decanter, this becomes a bit more integrated. Nose of cherry, leather, and other classic bdx aromas. The palate is a bit closed, and there is some oak that emerges after a while in the decanter. I like this, though it seems a bit closed at the moment. Curious to visit it in a few years.
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2/5/2017 - dhammer53 wrote: 89 Points
I was really looking forward to enjoying this wine, but it was overshadowed by an '11 CdP. This is a smooth wine that still has tannins, suggesting that it's still young. This was an enjoyable wine.
That's a good thing because i'll drink my other bottle in 2 years. No further notes as I was at a Superbowl party. Drank over 90 minutes.
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12/23/2016 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Cabernet Franc shines here. Bright, lifted raspberry, red currant, and pressed flower bouquet segues into aromas of leather, graphite, and wax. The palate is polished and layered, complex and vinous, deep and mysterious, showing no fade whatsoever. Mid-to-full bodied, structured, and balanced, oak is perfectly integrated into the fold, allowing the ideal tension between fruit and savory elements. Long, elegant, and graceful. Beautiful.
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10/31/2016 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank by Diane, Ray, Marianne, and myself.
Cab blend night.
Paired very well with file mignon.
Spicy due to the cab franc and more body than expected.
Me - 90, Wife - 91
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10/22/2016 - odds Likes this wine:
We decided we wanted a reliable, aged well wine for dinner. Delivered with guarantee :-) The decanting time is shorter now (basically, PnP). It did not seem to fade over the evening. Very nice earthy notes from PnP. As others noted, the nose (and floral) are notable even from a nice distance from the glass. Finish somewhat longer than I recalled, well balanced fruits on the palate. For the rest see previous notes. I think it may be a real 93+ now (even 94). Can't find a better qpr for the price we got it. Best deal on well aged wine we had for a long time. Glad we have more to enjoy for the next few years. Drink, enjoy and drink again
(we left abit for day 2 tasting. So far, very good. Does not seem to fade
Day 3 Edit: Last small glass for each. Stable- same as day 2. Good work! )
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5/27/2016 - Neat Water Back wrote:
Decanted for 90 minutes, uncorked at dinner and let it sit for another hour or so. This is a food wine. Not a fan by itself, but when I paired this with duck it was very good and savory.
Beautiful nose that you can smell from several feet away.
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5/19/2016 - RayT Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not quite as good as my last 2 bottles.
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4/17/2016 - Rich S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Dark crimson color. Dark red berry fruit and hints of cassis with some underlying earthy and vegetal notes. Similar flavors on the palate with black cherry and dark red berry fruit flavors and some mint. Medium+ acid and tannin with a slightly sweet and chewy tannins but in balance with the fruit. Well made wine for sure.
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3/29/2016 - DanR Likes this wine:
Ok, this wine...searching for superlatives...rocks. Is delicious. Super tasty. It took waaaaaaay too long for me to find Virage.
First impression is, this is a wine of balance. I'm not speaking of balance in the traditional way - although it's got that too - in terms of the balance of its components. But, more uniquely, this shows balance in terms of the style spectrum. It speaks to traditional Napa - red fruited, with structure, acidity, cedar/earth/soil notes, purity of fruit, aging potential (it's my only data point, but it seems to still be on the upswing, judging by its evolution over the course of the evening). But, it's got a foot in modernity as well - it's a rich, intense, concentrated wine, explosive in flavor and definitely not shy.
Red fruits on the attack - currant, Santa Rosa plum, even a bit of macerated cherry in its core. These characters seem to give the wine some lift that is so often missing from typical Napa - no dull, cumbersome, dark fruit/oak/overextraction here. Pondering the wine as I sip it slowly, it is on the midpalate where the flavor profile both broadens and deepens. Here, the bitter chocolate, dusty earth, herbs come into focus; elevating the experience and enhancing the complexity. It finishes long, polished, and elegant.
The tannins! Perfect. Chewy, round, ripe. They frame the wine, giving it focus, but with a total lack of astringency or verdancy or other distracting qualities. This is not somebody's first attempt at tannin management, this is serious high end Napa winemaking here.
Bravo and thank you, Emily! And thank you Berserker Day for the impetus to try this outstanding friggin wine.
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3/24/2016 - AngryPrez Likes this wine: 91 Points
I last tried this wine in 2013, and really didn't care for it - had an off-putting undertone of funk that it couldn't shake. Decided to try it one more time before deciding to send the rest off to auction, and what a difference a few years makes. Some initial funk that blew off with about an hour in the decanter, and then a wonderfully subtle and restrained wine that we really enjoyed. Little bit of herb and even spiciness, nice rolling set of flavors that evolve on the tongue. Glad it isn't going to auction and I'm going to be buying a few of the 2012s to cellar.
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12/5/2015 - Cabfrancophile wrote:
Great nose, showing some really nice savory development of the fruit. Like the direction this is going. Cassis flavors up front, leaner and earthier on the mid-palate, more herbal finish with a bit of harshness. The structure is holding up nicely, ongoing development looks very positive. May not round out fully with time, but there's great complexity and no heavy-handed oak or superripe fruit flavors.
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10/22/2015 - RayT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice bottle for the money.
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7/7/2015 - RayT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Recommended to me by the Von's Pavilion's wine manager, Shoneen. As usual she is spot on. Great nose. This has nice structure with good complexity and a decently long finish. Great bottle for the money. Going back to buy more tomorrow.
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7/3/2015 - jmottern Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium body wine with medium nose. Nice complex plum fruit with a hint of cherry and vanilla. Medium finish.
I have had better bottles of this vintage and the wine is either past its peak or the bottle was iffy. My advice is to test this wine if you have it.
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6/6/2015 - jmottern Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very good medium-lite body wine. After 30 minutes to open the fruit really comes out - a little plum with a hint of cherry. I sense this wine is toward the end of its drinking window.
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4/12/2015 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This has all the aromatic complexities of great cabernet franc, with textured tannins. A long and elegant finish, hanging on to the tongue. Quality juice, holding strong.
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2/5/2015 - odds Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my previous notes, and even better. I think the needed decanting time is shorter now, and it is a more complex, enjoyable wine. I wanted something that was a 100 percent guarantee pure enjoyment wine tonight, and did not think twice before opening this one. Emily knows wine!
(Day 2 update- tastes even better than day one, on both nose and finish. I think this wine will have longer life than initially forecasted)
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1/31/2015 - jmottern Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium body and alcohol. The wine opened up very nicely after 30 minutes. Big blackberry and coffee fruit. Nice satisfying finish.
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11/26/2014 - jmottern Likes this wine: 88 Points
A dark red wine. Fruit appeared thin the first 35 minutes but as the wine opened its fruit came out more. This is a good wine that needs to be decanted or opened a hour before enjoying. It has plenty of cellar time left.
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10/22/2014 - njgolfer Likes this wine: 90 Points
After being open and sitting in glass for over 1 hour
Nose: raspberry creme, hints of cedar and earth with just a touch of sweet spices. Smells great
Palate: initially a little bit lean but mid palate has some fullness to the flavors. Tastes of earthy, bramble cherries like they used some whole clusters in this wine. Like the balanced spices and just a touch of cedar and roses on the finish. Tannins are fine, medium balanced along with medium acidity. More on the lean side with no overripe fruits or flappy tastes.
Would go really well with some rich cheese.
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8/31/2014 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep red center, red/purple rim with some signs of age.
Sweet and fruity up front, mashed plums and ripe cherries, a little herbaceous, olive skins.
Smooth, dark cherries, then acidity and good tannins, a little lean in the middle, good ripe fruit on the finish, not green, some slightly distracting wood overtones lurk in the background.
Seems a little out of balance at the moment, has acid and tannins to last a while, not sure if the fruit will follow but interesting to see where this goes.
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5/17/2014 - markandsusanw wrote: 91 Points
Decanted approx. 30 min. ... Straddles the line well between rich and lean. Very well structured, with fruit present, but not a primary note. It's all about the earth and leather. Tannins are firm, with a big pop of acid, indicating a lot of life left and potential for further development. A very good wine that is extremely food friendly.
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5/10/2014 - Rich S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for around 30 mins. Dark purple color. Not overly aromatic on the nose with some black cherry and currant along with a bit of pyrazine and cedar cigar box. Slightly tight on the palate with medium+ tannin and acidity covering up some very nice dark fruit and earthy, tobacco flavors. Definitely more of a food wine, at least right now, I think this wine will be better with a bit more age on it or a longer decant if drinking now. It is definitely a well made and well balanced wine and I look forward to my remaining bottles.
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5/2/2014 - odds Likes this wine: 93 Points
I would start with a personal statement: I am stupid. I said, here I said it. I am stupid that I did not try this wine before. I am stupid that I've delayed it on my to-do list for almost 2 years. You can refer to other CT notes, but I'd give some highlights from my tasting:
Finish, medium plus long. On the nose, dry fruits? checks. Works well with Berries? check. forest fruits? check Currants- check. On King Cab's note " It's approach is very 'Right Bank'"? Check. He is on the money. All round open for a special and no special reason wine? Check. Emily- Well done!
Reference points: (a) Partner asked for more (b) She located it above many other wines but below Endre '08 we had few weeks ago (I located it closer to equal). (c) I located it one of the best QPR in long time.
Finish... yummi ! Color... lovely
Drinking window: My window is open, I drink it now :-)
Postscript(05-03 ~noon)- I read the notes wrt decanting/time and looked at the bottle. There was a bit less than a glass left (overnight in cellar). Into a glass, and indeed the finish is longer than yesterday (not alot longer though). Very nice nose.
(92-93 pts)
Postscript(05/25): voted with wallet and purchased a case. At this price range, a steal qpr
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3/26/2014 - arthrovine wrote:
Quite austere bordeaux blend. Firm textures. Not a full-throttle wine by any means. Tannins were quite strong in this bottle - needs time. I did not do the lengthy decant. However, 1/3 bottle was much better and more approachable the next day.
My first experience with this producer. I have one more bottle of 2007 and will try and hide it for several years.
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3/23/2014 - ucbeau Does not like this wine:
Opened 30 minutes prior to serving. Paired with grilled London Broil steak. Initial nose was cocoa, oak, blueberry, and cassis. Some dusty elements too. As it opened it started to show more VA, there was a persistent vinegary aroma throughout the wine. It also manifested on the palate. While it never dominated, it was distracting enough for everyone to comment on. Good body and good balance, I think this wine would have been a lot better had it not been for the volatile acidity.
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3/22/2014 - sachsen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Front end and mid palate were quite nice while finish struck me at tannic. I've read previous reviews and wonder if a taster's astringency might be what I consider due to tannins. I think this could easily last several more years. If tannins mellow over time, this warrants a higher score. For drinking now, I much prefer the 2008, which was bought at the same time, but tasted a week earlier.
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9/1/2013 - budh wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth Bordeaux blend. The heavy cab franc blend is silkier and darker than I would have expected. Dark fruit, tobacco, coffee. Sweet plum/prune dominates. Goes down easy.
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7/27/2013 - Cabfrancophile wrote:
Similar to last bottle. Finish was dried out and astringent. Good nose of earthy cherry aromas. Given the overall notes, it looks like I've had a couple of subpar bottles.
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4/5/2013 - scott w Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have had nearly a case of this wine and I cannot believe that I have not put up any tasting notes. First off this wine is beautiful! On the nose cranberry's, black cherries, earth and a floral note. Taste black cherries, leather earth black currants beautifully, waves of flavors hit you and a long finish, beautifully structured and balanced.
Can't wait for the 08's to show up next week.
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3/17/2013 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
Always an interesting wine. Nose of dried herbs and red/black fruits of red cherries, currants, pomegranate and more. It's approach is very 'Right Bank'. I know that was the goal of the winemaker/proprietor. Palate shows those fruits with a finely knit texture and firm backbone. Some pretty floral notes are in here too. Tannins are slick & well positioned, this should have a long life ahead of it. Overall balance it well done on this. Finish is long and all those wonderful fresh and 'brilliant' fruits remain in play. Down to my last bottle and time to call Emily.
In the last year or two I am really enjoying what Cab Franc has to offer when she is showing her best.
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12/25/2012 - brigcampbell wrote:
OK, this wine is still very good and hasn't budge since I last tasted. Tannins are firm from the start with some strawberry fruit then a big whack of cedar on the attack followed by graphite, like a no. 2 pencil. This should last for the ages. Well built. Only one left, need to restock.
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10/2/2012 - ToddS wrote:
Still dominated by the tannins.
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8/12/2012 - mcubed wrote: 92 Points
Nicely balanced, takes a little while to open up. Still strong tannins, offset by good fruit. Decent finish.
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3/24/2012 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
I opened this 2 hours ago and did not taste it. A serious wine no doubt. Refined nose of dried red and black fruits, cardamom and soft understated boysenberries. Palate has perfect balance, purity and poise. Some earth, some graphite, some sage and some worn leather are in here too; Balance is incredible with a distinct propensity to make you want to eat something. Something really good. (Today: Rib veal on the grill with grilled baby yukons). Some dusty tannins and an acidity that plays nicely; it creates the vehicle which all else travels upon. It certainly gets darker as if sit in the glass, both in color and on the palate. finish is crazy long, dominated with ripe black currant, kirsch and plum skins. Pretty, powerful and fully in control of all senses above the neck. Love it.
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11/5/2011 - Cabfrancophile wrote:
Not a strong showing for this bottle. Drinks tight, perhaps reductive, and finishes disjointed. It feels heavier, less elegant.; the bottle last year was far more open. The tannic structure is more pronounced now, though, so this probably should lay down for a few years at this point. See previous note for organoleptic details.
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8/29/2011 - CK6865 wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour, nice wine for a cab franc. Cherry and red rasberries has a light finish. Over all nice wine and good price point for a franc.
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3/1/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Produced from a blend of 71% Cabernet Franc and 24% Merlot is made as a hommage to the Right Bank wines of Bordeaux. With scents of black cherry, smoke, leaves, jam, herbs and tobacco. This soft, medium/full bodied wine finishes with dusty tannins
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1/22/2011 - brigcampbell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Falltacular 2011 (FMIII in the OC): Wow, is this an awesome wine. I had a taste 15 seconds after the bottle was opened (with the owner, thank you) and the wine was excellent, a couple hours and you're telling me it'll be better? Yikes, good juice. Very interesting complexity with pencil shaving weaving in and out through the palate and finish. Great mouthfeel.
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12/17/2010 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
What a beautiful wine. Pop and pour. This has pretty hue of purple tinged crimson. The nose showed some bing cherries, red raspberries and red plums. A multi-layered joy to behold that just kept giving, this was bright and lively on the palate. There was zero of the negative stuff CF can have. Perfectly balanced and lilty with a purity and focus that tip toes over bind-boggling, this was a lite to mid-weight wine initially but after about an hour this gained some weight as well as some black fruits of currants and black plum. A luscious and plush CF blend that has structure, breed and elegance. It crescendos into a long opulent finish. Fantastic.
Possibly the best CF blend I have sampled to date. Get on this list and buy this wine. $45 and well worth the tariff.
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8/28/2010 - Cabfrancophile wrote:
On initial pop and pour taste has savory/meaty quality, currant, cedar and mint. A fair amount of oak shows in the mouth, but it seems to be high quality French and integrated as a fine grained texture. Not quite opaque, between crimson and purple in color. Definite beginning, middle and end on the palate.
Decanted, then consumed over several hours. Savory aromas dissipate, while tobacco and floral aromas emerge. Palate is layered with plums and currants up front, a bit of creaminess on the mid-palate, and tobacco and herbs on the finish. A complete wine with genuine complexity. Oak does show rather strongly on the palate, though perhaps this will integrate better over time. This is not an especially chocolatey, coffeed or toasty style. The acidity is slightly mouthwatering but approachable, while the tannic structure is very fine. Medium to med/full body with firm but integrated structure. Dry, though not austere.
There's a palpable tension between a subtle herbaceous undercurrent and the fruit and oak components. A layered, multi-faceted wine that was best on its last sip. The oak on the palate is a bit distracting ultimately, but on the whole it is complementary and doesn't obscure other aromas. Shows a well-polished cooler-climate Cab Franc profile.
I had guessed a pH of 3.6-3.7, with around 50% new (French) oak. Actual numbers are 3.75 and 40%, so not too far off. TA is 5.8 g/L, near the sweet spot where a wine is fresh but approachable. 71% Cab F, 24% Merlot, 5% Cab S.
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