2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 87.5 points

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  11/30/2014 - winepaw wrote: 86 Points

  Dark fruit aroma and flavors, quite tannic, a bit rough on the finish.

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  5/20/2013 - mflesh wrote: 90 Points

  This is a very nice true to form cab franc and I can't believe the 88 point ratings but they must all be from Cab Sauv lovers that want a full bodied, dense wine. This wine does not give you this and never will, as it is CAB FRANC. Wine is made just about as correctly as it can be. Floral nose, berry front, smoky and mysterious middle with a soft yet spicy finish with sharp oak. You can make it a little more lush by putting an inordinate amount of Cab Sauv in it (ala Crocker & Starr) or can overdo it a little bit (ala Blender Boy), but you lose the Cab Franc essence. This one has all the typical traditional characteristics. It's not going to hold long, so drink now.

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  10/6/2012 - mflesh wrote: 91 Points

  Idential to the 6/7/12 tasting. There was a bit of crystallization on this cork. The one thing I love about this wine is that from year to year, this wine is consistently way above average. A Crocker & Starr, Beaucanon, Veraison, Blair Estate, or Paradigm it is not, but it is also not even close to being in the same price range either. For the QPR, this one is really outstanding for an Alexander Valley Estate wine. Has many characteristics of the more expensive offerings with biggest exception to density and body as this one isn't the full bodied CF monster. Classic Cab Franc that is not going to let you down. Has that classic floral nose, funky and earthy body, with great fruit and a spicy finish that augments with food. You could put this one in a fancy bottle and tell everyone that it costs $50/bottle and no one would doubt you. Drink now or hold for another 5 years.

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  7/22/2012 - mflesh wrote:

  Tassted as the second red in the red/white lineup. Nothing has really changed since my note of 6/7/12.

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  6/7/2012 - mflesh wrote: 91 Points

  I'm really quite impressed with this wine. This is true to form "western world" Cab Franc. Very different than Loire Valley (and that's kind of a good thing). Cork popped with a dark violet stain. The nose out of the bottle was perfume jasmine and lilac. Floral nose was nice. This wine was decanted for about 30 minutes and then served. Dark pour into the glass. The wine was showing some opening characteristics that had floral on the front, and spice that stung the nostrils with an extended breath in. On the palate was all a vanilla and blackberry "funk" front, giving way to some spice, licorice, and perhaps a bit smoky. Wine finished with some very harsh tannins but dried nicely on the tongue, leaving you with a sweet yet fulfilling red berry aftertaste that left you wanting more. All the while the earthy backbone was always reminding you of its presence, even after the wine was long finished. I don't know if I'll look for this vintage specifically, but I'll certainly buy a bottle or two of each vintage of this wine. I have reviewed an older vintage of this wine, and you can tell the difference with just 1-2 years of aging. I think this one probably has another 4-5 years.

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View all 7 Community Tasting Notes

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