Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Friday, April 2, 2021 - 100% Cabernet Franc from an ungrafted vineyard farmed according to biodynamic principles. Fermented spontaneously in oval foudres over 8-10 days. Aged for 12 months in oval foudres. 13% alcohol.

Luminous, moderately translucent dark ruby red color. Ripe, still remarkably youthful and slightly closed nose with aromas of blackcurrants and fresh bilberries, some bretty funk of leather and earth, light rubbery notes of reduction, a little bit of ripe damson and autumnal leafy hints without any obvious herbaceous green notes. The wine is quite ripe yet fresh and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and intense, dry flavors of fresh bilberries, crowberries and tart cranberries, some brambly notes of raspberries, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of sour red plum, a bretty hint of horse stable and a touch of old leather. The structure relies mostly on the fresh, high acidity as the silky tannins feel very sparse and gentle, barely gripping the gums at all. The crunchy finish is dry and lengthy with fresh flavors of tart cranberries and crowberries, some bretty notes of leather, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light bilberry tones and a hint of barnyard funk.

A very tasty, fresh and playful Cabernet Franc that feels very Burgundian in the sense that this wine emphasizes bright red fruit and acid-driven structure over any herbaceous tones or blackcurrant notes more typical of Cabernet Franc, or more tannin-driven structure. At first the wine seemed to be slightly closed and even a bit reductive, but it opened up nicely in the glass. There seems to be a little bit of brett here, but the overall feel is nevertheless wonderfully pure and precise, letting the funky notes remain nicely in the background. Seeing how very youthful and even slightly reductive the wine is now, I heartily recommend either decanting it well ahead or then just letting it age more. The wine shows good potential for future development and I can imagine it will improve for at least another 5-10 years, if not longer. Good value at 26€.

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