At a decade, this was garnet colored with a very slight brownish tinge, medium bodied, spicy black currant, raspberry and black cherry fruits with notes of white pepper, tobacco, spice and herbs with a moderate soft finish. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/spring-valley-katherine-cabernet-franc.html
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With 2011 being Washington's last "cold" vintage, most wines didn't have a super rich midpalate and large tannins to begin with. Ten years after, you'd expect the wines to be on the gentle side.
I got that here. I tried a sip immediately after opening - it was too acidic. I let the rest of the bottle relax for a couple of hours, and that time really helped. The fruit rounded into form, offering a nice balance of red, blue, and purple fruit tastes. I also got some of the classic herbal senses you'd expect form Cabernet Franc. Perhaps due to the age of the wine, they weren't strong dried herbs or vegetables, they were light and a bit medicinal, melding their way into the fruit.
There wasn't a midpalate, rather it seemed the initial tastes lingered for some time. The finish was short, there's only a small sense of tannic structure now.
This was a nice, relaxed, gentle example of Cabernet Franc. It's ready to drink, and you should probably do so within the next two years.
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Not bad but lacking any real depth. With the 11 vintage, I expected more structure and more herbaceous notes but lighter in body (as would happen in a cool vintage). It barely had any of the signature CF aromas. Having been around Walla Walla at that time, it feels like this was blended out with something. A nice wine but not the best CF and it didn't seem vintage driven. FYI, 11 was a leaner year so anyone expecting fruit forward for that vintage needs to reset expectations. Look more toward Bordeaux for comparison, not toward other WA vintages.
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Opened and poured for an hour, Pretty good initially, green on the nose, But approachable, became disjointed at the end of evening, not sure if cellaring will help, can't hurt. A cool vintage is no help either.
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Wonderful nose - good pleasant fruit that should be on a Cab Franc Subtle earth tones with fruit - some dust as well Fairly light fruit not as much dust as the 2012 on the palate. Easy fruit up front - slight tannic structure but not too dusty - cherry finish Quick finish but the 2012 is better
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Opened two hours before dinner. Dark ruby color. Raspberries and blackcurrants on the nose, along with black pepper. Spiciness on the palate as well, and the fruit matched by taut acidity. No stark tannins.
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Dry herbal notes on the nose. It has flavors of red berries, white pepper and current. 100% Can Franc is a bit unusual, but this wine has plenty of texture on the palate, yet soft and creamy on the finish.
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750 ml; PnP; semi translucent crimson red color, no bricking; vey closed nose of cherry and cranberry; light flavors of tart cranberry and earth; Summary: light, thin, and boring; PASS
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I loved Spring Valey wines when I first had them. And ever since then, they've not shown as well. Just left their wine club. I'm a die-hard Cab Franc fan, and this is one of the few remaining pure versions of the varietal. Just doesn't show the structure that I think it should, or that others can get out of the grape. Still has a great nose and some richness to it, but the price totally took it off my list.
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12/28/2021 - rmcnees wrote: 89 Points
At a decade, this was garnet colored with a very slight brownish tinge, medium bodied, spicy black currant, raspberry and black cherry fruits with notes of white pepper, tobacco, spice and herbs with a moderate soft finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/spring-valley-katherine-cabernet-franc.html
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2/27/2021 - camdawg Likes this wine: 88 Points
With 2011 being Washington's last "cold" vintage, most wines didn't have a super rich midpalate and large tannins to begin with. Ten years after, you'd expect the wines to be on the gentle side.
I got that here. I tried a sip immediately after opening - it was too acidic. I let the rest of the bottle relax for a couple of hours, and that time really helped. The fruit rounded into form, offering a nice balance of red, blue, and purple fruit tastes. I also got some of the classic herbal senses you'd expect form Cabernet Franc. Perhaps due to the age of the wine, they weren't strong dried herbs or vegetables, they were light and a bit medicinal, melding their way into the fruit.
There wasn't a midpalate, rather it seemed the initial tastes lingered for some time. The finish was short, there's only a small sense of tannic structure now.
This was a nice, relaxed, gentle example of Cabernet Franc. It's ready to drink, and you should probably do so within the next two years.
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8/21/2018 - WinemakerJosh wrote: 87 Points
Not bad but lacking any real depth. With the 11 vintage, I expected more structure and more herbaceous notes but lighter in body (as would happen in a cool vintage). It barely had any of the signature CF aromas. Having been around Walla Walla at that time, it feels like this was blended out with something. A nice wine but not the best CF and it didn't seem vintage driven. FYI, 11 was a leaner year so anyone expecting fruit forward for that vintage needs to reset expectations. Look more toward Bordeaux for comparison, not toward other WA vintages.
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7/10/2016 - wino121 wrote: 88 Points
Opened and poured for an hour,
Pretty good initially, green on the nose,
But approachable, became disjointed at the end of evening, not sure if cellaring will help, can't hurt.
A cool vintage is no help either.
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5/8/2016 - Glenn92 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Wonderful nose - good pleasant fruit that should be on a Cab Franc
Subtle earth tones with fruit - some dust as well
Fairly light fruit not as much dust as the 2012 on the palate. Easy fruit up front - slight tannic structure but not too dusty - cherry finish
Quick finish but the 2012 is better
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12/25/2015 - M.Batard wrote: 89 Points
Opened two hours before dinner. Dark ruby color. Raspberries and blackcurrants on the nose, along with black pepper. Spiciness on the palate as well, and the fruit matched by taut acidity. No stark tannins.
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10/11/2015 - Y2mike wrote: 88 Points
Dry herbal notes on the nose. It has flavors of red berries, white pepper and current. 100% Can Franc is a bit unusual, but this wine has plenty of texture on the palate, yet soft and creamy on the finish.
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9/17/2015 - BornToRhone Does not like this wine:
750 ml; PnP; semi translucent crimson red color, no bricking; vey closed nose of cherry and cranberry; light flavors of tart cranberry and earth; Summary: light, thin, and boring; PASS
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1/4/2015 - karl_burns Likes this wine: 86 Points
I loved Spring Valey wines when I first had them. And ever since then, they've not shown as well. Just left their wine club. I'm a die-hard Cab Franc fan, and this is one of the few remaining pure versions of the varietal. Just doesn't show the structure that I think it should, or that others can get out of the grape. Still has a great nose and some richness to it, but the price totally took it off my list.
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12/12/2014 - MadisonWIneGuy wrote: 87 Points
Fresh cherry, a touch tart, raspberry/cranberry, a nice, young wine. Medium finish. Over-priced and a certain pass for the money, though. 87 pts.
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8/29/2014 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine:
Needs time to develop, but good fruit, even on Day 2.
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