Textbook Loire Cab Franc. Quite lovely. Took me back to an unassuming French bistro in the Loire Valley. Dark fruits, herbal notes, green pepper, good acidity, some tannins, no oak. Lip smacking. Quite a bit of sediment. Served with a very light chill.
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Pop and poured it, and wow, this wine exceeded expectations. I didn't know this producer, but I like to buy well regarded Chinon's when I see them, because 1. we've been there and 2. we enjoy Cab Franc. It had a good review from a critic I trust, so I grabbed a bottle. Now having consumed my only bottle, I wish I had a case, especially since it's priced attractively. This wine is drinking well already as the tannins are soft and integrated, but it could age 5 years easily and add some more complexity. Raspberries, forest floor, and dried herbs on the nose and palate.
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Textbook tomato, green pepper, and pepperoni. Clearly an extra layer of richness to the fruit from the vintage, but not at the expense of all those savory cab franc elements. This tasted pretty high octane, making me think the actual alcohol weighed in above the 14% listed.
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Fridge chilled, popped and poured and ready to go after 30 mins. 40 - 60 year old vines. Vinified and aged in steel tanks for 10 months.
2018 was a good year in the Loire and it shows.
A richer style of Cabernet Franc loaded with concentrated dark fruits and buffeted with delicious notes olive, dried herbs and graphite. The classic Cab Franc leafiness is well integrated and appears as a tertiary flavour.
An excellent wine for the price and punches well above its weight. I will definitely be getting more.
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Ripe black and red raspberry, and pencil sharpenings on the nose. Dry, elevated acidity and moderately tannic, medium-bodied, 14°. Pyrazines present but in check. Smoother than many Chinons, juicy and fresh – still fresh after a night in the fridge, and nice lightly chilled.
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Dark ruby, energetic nose of pepper, herbs, tennis ball can, palate of light and dark fruits with black tea tannins and bright acidity with not much wood. Delicious and right for midweek.
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Opened 2.5 hours. Color is bright ruby. On the nose: Currant, plum and some green vegetal notes. On the palate: Tart Red fruits, plum, a bit of spice on the finish . Nice acidity. Flavor is reasonably broad with very good length. Very easy drinking wine. This is very good value for money. Well made, drinks easy and flavors has enough complexity to be interesting.
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Simple, but gulpable and very enjoyable. Textbook Loire Cab Franc. Dark fruits, herbal notes, green pepper, good acidity, some tannins, no oakiness. Delicious by itself and, even more so, with food. Should drink well for 3-4-5 more yrs. Better after some air contact.
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Medium violet color. Extremely shy, eventually able to tease out blackcurrant, cedar and bell pepper. Creamy texture, medium-bodied, blackcurrant flavors and chalky tannins.
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Autumn Tasting (San Diego Wine Co.): A monople with 40-60 yr old vines grown in silt & clay soils; Typically, "After harvest the grapes go through a cold maceration, then fermentation takes place in fiberglass tanks, utilizing only natural yeasts. 50% of the wine is racked into older foudre, & 50% remains in tank until bottling, which is typically the following spring." ≈1,800 cases
N: SMOKE, ripe berries, poss some tomato leaf?
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it evolves into a LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/bitter/SWT trialectic to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS 12-18 mos, then drinking into '24. 14% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. [I saw no other source with which to compare this vendor's $18.99.]
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2/20/2024 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious, textbook Loire CF. Same tasting note as that for previous bottles applies.
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4/23/2023 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 90 Points
Textbook Loire Cab Franc. Quite lovely. Took me back to an unassuming French bistro in the Loire Valley. Dark fruits, herbal notes, green pepper, good acidity, some tannins, no oak. Lip smacking. Quite a bit of sediment. Served with a very light chill.
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9/19/2021 - winespine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and poured it, and wow, this wine exceeded expectations. I didn't know this producer, but I like to buy well regarded Chinon's when I see them, because 1. we've been there and 2. we enjoy Cab Franc. It had a good review from a critic I trust, so I grabbed a bottle. Now having consumed my only bottle, I wish I had a case, especially since it's priced attractively. This wine is drinking well already as the tannins are soft and integrated, but it could age 5 years easily and add some more complexity. Raspberries, forest floor, and dried herbs on the nose and palate.
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9/11/2021 - Tobinski Likes this wine:
Textbook tomato, green pepper, and pepperoni. Clearly an extra layer of richness to the fruit from the vintage, but not at the expense of all those savory cab franc elements. This tasted pretty high octane, making me think the actual alcohol weighed in above the 14% listed.
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7/24/2021 - Stosh_Izzy Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Linear. Not much going on. Dry finish, a bit tart at the end. Very Cab Franc like. Low fruit.
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7/6/2021 - ikileo wrote:
Fridge chilled, popped and poured and ready to go after 30 mins.
40 - 60 year old vines. Vinified and aged in steel tanks for 10 months.
2018 was a good year in the Loire and it shows.
A richer style of Cabernet Franc loaded with concentrated dark fruits and buffeted with delicious notes olive, dried herbs and graphite. The classic Cab Franc leafiness is well integrated and appears as a tertiary flavour.
An excellent wine for the price and punches well above its weight. I will definitely be getting more.
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6/7/2021 - ocassiuso Likes this wine:
Ripe black and red raspberry, and pencil sharpenings on the nose. Dry, elevated acidity and moderately tannic, medium-bodied, 14°. Pyrazines present but in check. Smoother than many Chinons, juicy and fresh – still fresh after a night in the fridge, and nice lightly chilled.
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4/25/2021 - Dave Dewar wrote:
Lots of flowers and minerals, but I had a hard time finding the fruit!
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4/7/2021 - glassnost Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark ruby, energetic nose of pepper, herbs, tennis ball can, palate of light and dark fruits with black tea tannins and bright acidity with not much wood. Delicious and right for midweek.
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4/6/2021 - Brian of Mull Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened 2.5 hours. Color is bright ruby. On the nose: Currant, plum and some green vegetal notes. On the palate: Tart Red fruits, plum, a bit of spice on the finish . Nice acidity. Flavor is reasonably broad with very good length. Very easy drinking wine. This is very good value for money. Well made, drinks easy and flavors has enough complexity to be interesting.
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4/3/2021 - Alykhan V Likes this wine: 90 Points
Black fruits, quite pronounced blue fruits and herbal notes. Not much green notes
Medium+ tannins
Very good length
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12/15/2020 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 90 Points
Simple, but gulpable and very enjoyable. Textbook Loire Cab Franc. Dark fruits, herbal notes, green pepper, good acidity, some tannins, no oakiness. Delicious by itself and, even more so, with food. Should drink well for 3-4-5 more yrs. Better after some air contact.
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10/17/2020 - vinoob Likes this wine: 88 Points
Easy, satisfying drink - pop and pour. Pleasing bouquet and smooth, approachable palate
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9/19/2020 - daveyk39 wrote: 88 Points
Medium violet color. Extremely shy, eventually able to tease out blackcurrant, cedar and bell pepper. Creamy texture, medium-bodied, blackcurrant flavors and chalky tannins.
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10/19/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Autumn Tasting (San Diego Wine Co.): A monople with 40-60 yr old vines grown in silt & clay soils; Typically, "After harvest the grapes go through a cold maceration, then fermentation takes place in fiberglass tanks, utilizing only natural yeasts. 50% of the wine is racked into older foudre, & 50% remains in tank until bottling, which is typically the following spring." ≈1,800 cases
N: SMOKE, ripe berries, poss some tomato leaf?
P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it evolves into a LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/bitter/SWT trialectic to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS 12-18 mos, then drinking into '24. 14% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. [I saw no other source with which to compare this vendor's $18.99.]
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