Posts Tagged“cabernet franc”

Hermann J. Wiemer 2013 Cabernet Franc

Even though I’ve been writing wine reviews for many years now, I never stop asking myself about their real value, whether or not I’m approaching them in the right way or how I can improve my process. Looking out at the rest of the industry — I’m talking more about printed publications, who tend to be a bit more transparent with how they taste and review wines — there don’t seem to be any set rules. Some critics taste wine “blind” but not really — because they know the region the wines are made, so any bias they may have for…

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New Kid on the Block, Bruno and Rafael Winery

For many people wine is just another item on their supermarket shopping list, a gallon of milk, a liter of soda, Coke or Sprite, some wine red or white. True, not so in New York which is one of the 15 states that still doesn’t allow supermarket wine sales, which by the way account for about 42% of all wines sales in the U.S.  And certainly not so for wine geeks like me.  Or Bob from Sonoma and Bruno Alterescu who I met today at Bruno’s new winery in Marlboro, NY. For us the wine experience is something to be…

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Bellangelo 2014 Cabernet Franc Dry Rose

It doesn’t always happen this way. Not every cabernet franc rose tastes like cabernet franc, but Bellangelo 2014 Cabernet Franc Dry Rose ($16) really does. It starts off with the types of bright red fruits that you’ll get from most roses — cranberry and red cherry in this case — but there are also underlying notes of Herbs de Provence and mossy earth that bring a bit of complexity without getting in the way of the fresh fruit aromas and flavors. Brisk and refreshing, it’s lighter bodied and begging to be enjoyed with food. Producer: Villa Bellangelo AVA: Finger Lakes Vineyard: Tuller Vineyard…

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Southold Farm + Cellars 2014 “Minor Threat” Cabernet Franc

Dry rose has never been more popular, but Southold Farm + Cellar co-owner and winemaker Regan Meador hasn’t made one in his label’s two vintages to date — but not because he has anything against the now-trendy style. “I’ve never made one before, for one,” he said when I asked him why he hasn’t made one yet, adding ” But, I wanted to explore a different side of cab franc. There’s a lot of good examples of rose cabernet franc, but I would rather see where else the variety could go.” Enter Southold Farm + Cellar “Minor Threat” Cabernet Franc…

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Bloomer Creek Vineyard 2011 Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc

  This isn’t a wine that everyone is going to appreciate. As some would say, this is a cab franc lover’s cab franc. You need to appreciate the earthiness of the grape — the herbal edges too. Bloomer Creek Vineyard 2011 Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc ($18) isn’t driven by bold fruit flavors. The cool, wet 2011 vintage saw to that. Instead, winemaker Kim Engle took what the season gave him, and the result is a unique, impressive wine that the franc lover in me greatly enjoyed. Aromas of Provencal herbs — especially thyme and lavender — float from the glass,…

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Paumanok Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Franc

Paumanok Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Franc ($24) has a ripe, but varietally correct nose of blackberry and plum fruit with notes of dried autumn leaves, dried herbs and woodsy spice. With a bit of time in the glass, the faintest scent of grilled asparagus emerges as a tertiary aroma. Cottony tannins and crunchy, fresh black cherry and blackberry flavors are accented nicely by more woodsy spice, dried herbs and plum skin on the medium-bodied palate. I appreciate the restrained oak — that really lets the fruit shine on this ripe but far-from-heavy red that begs to be enjoyed at the table…

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Roanoke Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc

Long Island merlot is often — and consistently — delicious. But when Long Island cabernet franc is done well — which is almost always the case at Roanoke Vineyards — it is much more distinctive and compelling. At it’s best, Long Island cabernet franc combines forward, ripe fruit with savory notes — often herbs but sometimes mushrooms or leaf tobacco — and restrained oak that frames rather than overwhelms the grape’s varietal character. Usually there is a freshness too, which makes it one of my go-to wines for the dinner table. Of the 2010 cabernet francs I’ve tasted, Roanoke Vineyards 2010 Cabernet France ($34) best exemplifies my personal local…

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Robibero Family Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Franc

Made with fruit sourced from the Finger Lakes, Robibero Family Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Franc ($40 | Sold Out)  offers aromas of wild blueberries, blackberries and red cherries, black licorice, garden herbs and cinnamon candy. Concentrated but not over-extracted, the palate starts with hat same black and blue fruit before showing woodsy spice, licorice, herbs and enough toasty oak to add a layer of complexity but not enough to get in the way of the intense fruit core. Medium-intensity tannins and a bit of fresh acidity provide a nice frame. Though not overly lengthy, the finish doesn’t drop off either. Robibero is one of…

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Keuka Spring Vineyards 2013 Wiltberger Vineyard Field Blend Dry Rose

Last year, Keuka Spring Vineyards winemaker August Deimel crafted one of the NYCR tasting panel’s top two 2012 roses, so when he sent  the 2013, it didn’t take me long to get it in the tasting queue. Keuka Spring Vineyards 2013 Wiltberger Vineyard Field Blend Dry Rose ($17) is completely different from that stellar 2012.  It’s a field blend — a blend of lemberger, cabernet franc, merlot — and smells of trawberries and cream with hints of peppery spice and spring flowers. The dry, medium-bodied palate is richer than the 2012, with watermelon and red cherry flavors backed by more of that…

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Naked and Still Loving It: The Unique Success of Lamoreaux Landing’s T23

Red wine loves wood the way sunlight loves a hillside, the way Tarantino loves violence, the way feet love grass. One does not necessarily need the other, but can you imagine it another way? At Lamoreaux Landing on Seneca Lake, they could indeed imagine it another way. Back in 2002, the winemaking team floated the idea of viticultural nudity. This would not be performance art in a 750-ml bottle. This would be an experiment to see what would happen if cabernet franc saw no oak barrels. Today, the question of who gets the credit remains murky. Josh Wig, a co-owner,…

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