August 23, 2014 - I don't have lots of experience with Cab Franc. This one has the expected vegetable components in well-balanced measure; it also held up well with a red-wine-challenging dinner that featured sauteed red cabbage (with grilled pork chops and roasted potatoes). At the same time, there's just nothing here that excites me - but maybe that's just my inexperience with this grape solo ...
December 10, 2011 - decanted for 30 minutes. 1st night: dark, smokey subdued fruit the first night. still very tight.
2nd night, a bit more open but the fruit is disappearing. Some left for tomorrow.
January 13, 2011 - Smoky cherry and pronounced leafiness. The fruit comes forward with a swirl of the glass, but quickly fades to the green, leafy notes. Juicy cranberry flavors with a medium finish. The tart juiciness stays on the tongue for a good while after swallowing.
Night 2 of wine: after pouring and letting this wine get some air, I am enjoying it more and more. The fruit is coming alive to balance the green flavors to the liking of my palate. Bumping up the score from 85 to 88.
July 18, 2010 - No formal score--this wine/style is clearly not for my palate--thus, its not fair for me to score it. For me--the cab franc was overwhelming in it's "barnyardy" flavor--did not care for it at all (only had one cab franc that i've truly liked--'07 Pride)--I don't know what to tell you--i just don't like horse brett!! lol--anyone want to buy a well-maintained bottle of this from me at cost?? lol
June 7, 2010 - quite tannic on opening, after 45 minutes of breathing, served cool (64F) green pepper, black pepper, mid-weight+,
October 30, 2009 - 3+ hr decant @70F in med-base. Dark ruby red color. NOSE- dark cherries, cracked black peppercorns, garrigue, basil & sun-dried tomato bruschetta, and oak in the form of a floral perfume as it yields forth in hand. PALATE- Mmm, mmm... on the first sip this is serious - layered with all kinds of fine structure. Having acclimated with that first, secondary sips appear less rugged and more refined and elegant -- kind of like a serious Bordeaux meets a northern Rhone with some ripeness. The tannins are actually quite sweet and present themselves as a kind of sweet-n-sour cherry on the back and side of the tongue. Medium-plus to long finish of dusty shrubs, ground pepper, and semi-sweet cacao powder. There's a lavender floral flair to this wine that channels Provence. After having a glass, I take back my initial comment, as the structure while present and well integrated, is less than omni-present (and certainly less than my initial comment might lead one to expect. Super stuff; love the black pepper aspects. 91-92 pts.
May 9, 2009 - What is there to say about this wine...it is certainly interesting on the nose. There was a heated debate if it was smoldeing charcole from a fire pit after a rain storm...or a cigarette ashtray that had not been cleaned out in years. There is good acidity with lithe and lean fruit in the mouth...but it was really hard to get past the nose for me. This is a very good wine...and worth trying just to see which side of the fence you fall on for the scents...
January 20, 2009 - Bottle arrived frozen -- literally. Cork was even pushed out a little. Vendor couldn't replace it so gave me a refund and told me to taste it. Defrosted and drank at cellar temp. It was fabulous; go figure. Chalk. Hard candy. Beautiful. Wish I could get more and try it unspoiled.