Rotating Dinner Series- A Focus on Cabernet Franc

This was James' turn to host. The theme he chose was exploring Cabernet Franc. When the wines were listed, it wasn't hard to tell that this was going to be a real good tasting. I didn't take pictures of the food, but it was a great compliment to the wines.

• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Silex 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  Nose: Very aromatic with deep tones of wet stones, crushed rocks, white fruits, lemon zest, and floral tones. There is good layering to this with an airy quality on the nose as well.
  
  Taste: Light bodied with crisp medium/high acidity. There is very good depth with layered tones of wet stones, crushed rocks, lemon zest, and floral tones.
  
  Overall: This is a beautiful dagueneau. There is really good depth and layering with this showing a lot of class as well.

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• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 94 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  Nose: Very aromatic and beautifully balanced nose with tones of pears, white fruits, leesy tones, minerals, and loads of white peaches. There is a lot of depth and layering with a perfumed quality as well.
  
  Taste: Light bodied with medium/high acidity that is very crisp, but not too over powering. The feel is really lovely with layered and regal tones of white peaches, minerals, white fruits, and some leesy tones.
  
  Overall: This was gorgeous. It had a real refined nature to it with good layering and loads of depth.

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• 1986 La Jota Cabernet Franc 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Nose: This is very seamless on the nose with refined and balanced tones of herbs, dark red fruits, violets, leather, funk, and red cherries. There is very good complexity, but it is lacking some depth that would really drive the nose.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and dusty tannins. Very well balanced with seamless tones of herbs, red cherries, spices, violets, and some funk tones.
  
  Overall: This was a very refined mature cab franc. It was pretty with good complexity on both the nose and palate.

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• 1991 La Jota Cabernet Franc 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Nose: Very open and aromatic nose with satiny tones of roses, violets, herbs, spices, dark red cherries, and red berries. There is very good depth with a regalness to the tones as well.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and good supporting tannins. The feel is very sexy and silky with polished tones of roses, violets, spices, dark red cherries, and red berries.
  
  Overall: This was gorgeous. It was very well layered and beautiful across the nose and palate. This had a hi-toned quality to it that was very attractive as well.

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• 1997 La Jota Cabernet Franc 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Nose: There is a plushness to the nose with tones of cherries, root vegetables, red florals, herbs, and some red fruits. There is good balance to the nose as well with solid depth.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity with chewy tannins. There is a plushness to the tones of herbs, cherris, root vegetables, red berries, and red fruits.
  
  Overall: There was a riper quality to this, but it was more relative as it was still distinctly cabernet franc.

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• 1998 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc 90 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

  Nose: Well balanced with rounded tones of Bell Pepper, red fruits, red cherries, red florals, and spice tones. There is a maturity to the nose, but with still nice fruit as well.
  
  Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. Well balanced with plump and rounded tones of bell peppers, red fruits, cherries, and spice tones.
  
  Overall: This is a quality Cab Franc. This feels like it's in it's prime right now, but it certainly can go a ways further.

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• 2001 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc 88 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

  Nose: The nose is showing more herbal with a good dose of bell peppers, asparagus, herbs, and dark red cherries. This is lacking some depth as well, but it's also showing fairly tight.
  
  Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and chewy tannins. The structure was youthful with well balanced tones of bell peppers, asparagus, and dark red cherries.
  
  Overall: This didn't seem like it wanted to fully come out and play. There is a very vegetal streak that is nice, but it seems more on the under-ripe side.

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• 2002 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc 92 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

  Nose: Very perfumed with well balanced tones of root vegetables, herbs, dark red cherries, red florals, and red fruits. There is very good depth to the nose with a youthful side to it as well.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and chewy tannins. The structure is very youthful with well balanced and deeper tones of root vegetables, bell peppers, herbs, dark red cherries, and some plush red fruits.
  
  Overall: There is a lot of youth to this, but it is showing beautifully right now. There is really good depth and balance to this with really good red fruits as well.

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• 1976 Catherine et Pierre Breton Chinon Beaumont 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Nose: Very well balanced and layered nose with mature tones of herbs, clay, root vegetables, dark red cherries, bell peppers, florals, and some spice tones.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and nice supporting tannins. This is very regal and refined on the palate with layered tones of herbs, clay, root vegetables, cherries, and some bell peppers.
  
  Overall: This was gorgeous. There was a silkiness to it with real nice layering and balance.

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• 1992 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrières 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil

  Nose: This has a real nice rusticness to it on the nose with tones of leather, herbs, dark red cherries, earth, and root vegetables. There is nice depth and some good layering too.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and good tannins. The mid-palate is lacking slightly along with balanced tones of leather, earth, dark red cherries, and bell peppers.
  
  Overall: This is a quality Chinon. It is showing a bit less than the other Bretons, but it's still very enjoyable and seems like it would be better on it's own.

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• 1993 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrières 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil

  Nose: Very aromatic and perfumed with layered tones of fruitcake, dark red cherries, spices, dark red fruits, herbs, and some celery root. There is really good depth to this with a lot of balance as well.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. The feel is nuanced and silky with layered tones of fruitcake, herbs, bell pepper, and dark red cherries.
  
  Overall: This was gorgeous. It was very well balanced and refined with great depth and layering. This was drinking beautifully and can go a good ways longer as well.

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• 1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Nose: Very perfumed and feminine nose filled with deep and layered tones of red fruits, cherries, herbs, clay, roses, and some celery seed. This is a beautiful and captivating nose with very good balance.
  
  Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and chewy tannins. The structure is noticeable, but it isn't overpowering with layered tones of celery seed, clay, red fruits, cherries, and herbs.
  
  Overall: This was a beautiful wine. There is really good depth and layering with a refined and feminine style to it.

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• 1979 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 86 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Nose: The nose is a bit more on the faint side, with drying tones of herbs, cherries, dark red fruits, leather, and spice tones.
  
  Taste: Medium/light bodied with medium acidity. The feel is very nice, but it's lacking some depth along with tones of herbs, cherries, spices, and leather tones.
  
  Overall: This is a very good wine, but it's on the downside. The tones are nice, but are lacking depth and are a bit drying.

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• 1989 Domaine Huet Vouvray Cuvée Constance 96 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Nose: Deep and layered nose with succulent tones of caramel, toffee, red apples, white fruits, acacia flowers, and some marmalade. The nose just sung where you got stopped in the moment.
  
  Taste: Full bodied with medium+ acidity. The feel is silky with deep and honeyed tones of caramel, pears, peaches, toffee, red apples, and some marmalade.
  
  Overall: This was a stunning wine. It just drew you in with it's depth and refinement. This was a wine that commanded your attention at every point.

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This was a real blast. The wines showed really well and who could argue with the lineup? Yet another fun dinner series and I look forward to the next one in July.