March 17, 2018 - This has bounced back since our last bottle. More fruit, stayed strong over four hours. Would be great to find a magnum.
September 22, 2015 - Same notes as previous bottle. Have one bottle left which we intend to hold for quite a while to see where it ultimately ends up.
May 18, 2015 - This cab franc is starting to undergo a transformation from primary to secondary tastes. Getting softer and earthier than before. Suspect further bottle aging time will continue to move the wine in this earthier direction. I'm more of a primary guy so score is a little lower than the last couple, but still love it.
January 6, 2015 - This has gotten a little softer with time, but still an outstanding cab franc. This is not for you if you are looking for a little green that a younger CF can give you, but it is a real pleasure to drink. And plenty of life still left in its primary drinking window. Opened two hours before dinner, then drank over next four, solid the whole time.
May 4, 2014 - Probably the best cab franc we have had, and we've had many. You would think it was a cab if you didn't know it was a cab franc. An excellent example of Prichard Hill at its finest. Has at least 3-5 years left in it. Tannins still evident but pretty well integrated at this point.
June 5, 2011 - Aged red wine without any particular Cab Franc characteristics. Some sediment, though the color was still rich. Good enough that I wish I had another btl and glad I don't have a case.
May 29, 2011 - Vibrant full-bodied, a terrific balance of dark fruit and muscularity. Perhaps a tinge of signature Cab Franc violet on the nose, but also may be my imagination, as I am not drinking blind. Stoic Old World construction. Reminds me of the best Portuguese Duoro wines. Drinking perfectly now, no sign of diminishment - a pleasant surprise to say the least. I have kept this wine in 65 degree cellar conditions since purchase from a local wine store.
July 31, 2009 - Popped and poured this bottle at first then three hour decant. Deep purple/black opaque in the glass.
Nose is very concentrated. Blackberry liqueur, a distinctive dusty barnyard play with some oxidative notes on the back end...and then comes TONS OF DARK BITTER OAKY CHOCOLATE!!!
The palate is completely loaded with more dark berries, plums and dark roast espresso and more dark chocolate.
The palate has lots of structure with lots of grip in the tannins. Nice acidity and harnessed alcohol.
This wine will go for another five years with proper cellaring. Now a nice black pepper play with an overall CLEAN finish -- besides the oak.
Make sure you decant at least two hours -- it will make a world of difference.
Excellent offering if you can get it on winebid. And yes, for a third the price of the Cabernet Sauvignon, this brings LOTS of thunder...oak.
June 23, 2009 - For 1/3 the cost of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Chappellet offers this intense Cab Franc. Dense and concentrated, with ripe blackberry, blueberry flavors, accompanied by milk chocolate, turkish coffee, dust and anise. Pure, focused, full-bodied and structured, ending with a long, lingering finish that keeps the fruit going on. An absolutly delicious wine.